Researchers have called the area under Durrington Walls "superhenge" for some time, long believing it to have been the site of a structure similar to neighboring (and much more famous) Stonehenge. Now, using ground-penetrating radar, the stones of...
on.aol.com
Britain’s Stonehenge is one of the most well-known prehistoric monuments in the world. But less than two miles away from the world wonder lies another more impressive site consisting of at least 90 stones. The site is approximately 4,500 years old but no one knew it existed until recently. The site is buried about three feet beneath Durrington Walls, a site thought to have been a short lived seasonal village where feasts and rituals were held.
Picture: Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project/PA
Archaeologists are calling it “Superhenge.” Five times the size of Stonehenge, the stones found beneath Durrington Walls make up what may be the largest Neolithic site in existence reports BBC Sept. 7. Archaeologist Nick Snashall said that "The presence of what appear to be stones, surrounding the site of one of the largest Neolithic settlements in Europe adds a whole new chapter to the Stonehenge story."
Built one century after Stonehenge, the seasonal village of Durrington Walls marks a site that could have been constructed before Stonehenge was even built. The site could also prove to be one of the most significant in the world.
MSN reports that by using radar to map the landscape beneath Durrington Walls, archaeologists found 30 upright stones and fragments of 60 more. The preservation of the monument is of an “extraordinary scale and unique” lead researcher Vince Gaffney said. The find comes at the peak of a 5-year project by researchers mapping the landscape underneath Stonehenge.
Researchers have also been mapping another nearby encampment at Blick Mead. This site was dated to be approximately 6,000 years old. There are fears over its possible destruction, as well as the structures underneath Durrington Walls. The Department of Transport has plans to build a road tunnel past Stonehenge that could damage these and other sites.
The road tunnel gives rise for great concern amongst researchers. "It's a big concern to all of us, especially as we are at the tip of the iceberg with this particular discovery, and it would be horrible to destroy one of the most significant sites in the world," said Amesbury Museum and Heritage Trust founder Andy Rhind-Tutt. Everyone wants to know why the structures were built and how they all relate to each other. "The hidden treasure trove of the Stonehenge landscape just begs the question about why are all these incredible structures here?" Rhind-Tutt said.
No comments:
Post a Comment