Stonehenge Riverside Project
Quick Summary
The Stonehenge Riverside Project was an archaeological endeavor in the United Kingdom that significantly contributed to understanding the Stonehenge landscape. This project, along with other excavations, revealed that Durrington Walls, the largest known Neolithic henge in the UK, was a site for feasting and ritual activity around 2000-1600 BCE.1
Key findings include:
* The discovery of timber circles, pottery, and animal bones at Durrington Walls suggested it was a place for feasts.1
* A road connecting Durrington Walls to the River Avon indicated it was part of a larger Neolithic complex linked to Stonehenge and Woodhenge.1
* The identification of buried stones around Durrington Walls led to it being called a "super-henge".1
Stonehenge itself, built in stages between 3000 and 1520 BCE, is a prehistoric stone circle monument. Its purpose remains speculative, with theories suggesting it was a religious site, an astronomical observatory, or a healing center. The monument's construction involved transporting massive stones, including bluestones from Wales and sarsen stones from Marlborough Downs, using a sophisticated post-and-lintel system. The alignment of Stonehenge with the solstices suggests a deep understanding of celestial events by its builders.23
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StonehengeSpeculation and excavation…the research team of the Stonehenge Riverside Project led to further revisions of the context and sequence of Stonehenge. Timothy Darvill and Geoffrey Wainwright’s 2008 excavation was smaller but nonetheless important.
Read More…the research team of the Stonehenge Riverside Project led to further revisions of the context and sequence of Stonehenge. Timothy Darvill and Geoffrey Wainwright’s 2008 excavation was smaller but nonetheless important.
Read More- StonehengeFirst stage: 3000–2935 bce
…and archival research by the Stonehenge Riverside Project revealed that they probably held Welsh bluestones. Human cremation burials were found within and around most of the holes, as well as within the encircling ditch and bank. (Of an estimated 150–240 cremation burials at Stonehenge, 64 had been excavated by the…
Read More…and archival research by the Stonehenge Riverside Project revealed that they probably held Welsh bluestones. Human cremation burials were found within and around most of the holes, as well as within the encircling ditch and bank. (Of an estimated 150–240 cremation burials at Stonehenge, 64 had been excavated by the…
Read More - StonehengeFirst stage: 3000–2935 bce
Found by the Stonehenge Riverside Project in 2009, it consisted of about 25 Welsh bluestones and may have been used for cremating and removing the flesh from the bodies whose remains were buried and scattered at Stonehenge. Bluestonehenge’s stones were later dismantled and presumably brought to Stonehenge.
Read MoreFound by the Stonehenge Riverside Project in 2009, it consisted of about 25 Welsh bluestones and may have been used for cremating and removing the flesh from the bodies whose remains were buried and scattered at Stonehenge. Bluestonehenge’s stones were later dismantled and presumably brought to Stonehenge.
Read More