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The Guardian and National Geographic claim that the Stonehenge stones may have been quarried (and erected) in Wales 500 years before they were put up in Wiltshire.
It has long been known that the bluestones that form Stonehenge's inner horseshoe came from the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire, around 140 miles from Salisbury Plain. Now archaeologists have discovered a series of recesses in the rocky outcrops of Carn Goedog and Craig Rhos-y-felin, to the north of those hills, that match Stonehenge's bluestones in size and shape. They have also found similar stones that the prehistoric builders extracted but left behind, and "a loading bay" from where the huge stones could be dragged away. Carbonised hazelnut shells and charcoal from the quarry workers' campfires have been radiocarbon-dated to reveal when the stones would have been extracted.
[...] The dating evidence suggests that Stonehenge could be older than previously thought, Parker Pearson said. "But we think it's more likely that they were building their own monument [in Wales], that somewhere near the quarries there is the first Stonehenge and that what we're seeing at Stonehenge is a second-hand monument."
takyon: Party Like It's 2500 B.C.: Feasts At Stonehenge Were Epic Barbecues (DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2015.110)
(Score: 5, Funny) by FunnyItWorkedLastTime on Thursday December 10 2015, @03:14AM
Druid: A little to the left..
Hapless Worker: Urgh..
Druid: A little more..
Hapless Worker: *grunt*
Druid: Forward a bit..
Hapless Worker: DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THESE STONES WEIGH?!
Druid: Stop whining, bit more to the left.
Hapless Worker: We've already dragged these rocks 140 miles, are you sure this is REALLY because the omens of the Gods demand it and not just because they were blocking the view from the Chieftains summer palace?
Druid: It's as the gods decree it and I am their priest. Shut up and do as you're told!
Hapless Worker: *grunt*
Druid: Bit more to the left.
Hapless Worker: *annoyed grunt*
Druid: Hey! What are you doing, that one is leaning far..
*tilt* *SQUISH*
Hapless Worker: Anyone else want to give directions?
Druid 2: Well the axis really isn't perfectly align..
*tilt* *SQUISH*
Hapless Worker: ANYONE ELSE GOT A PROBLEM WITH WHERE THE STONES ARE AT?!
Remaining Druids:
Nope, uh arr, looks just fine here. Those fallen stones give it just the right 'atmosphere', right lads?
*indeed, perfect right here*
*Yea, looks good. Nice contrast with this empty plain and all.*
Worker: Thought so.