Who Built The Stones? (Megalithic)

[Boreades]

[Mick Harper]

From a list of Stonehenge theories. It starts at seventeen so I'll have to track down the other sixteen. The author is an acquaintance of mine and Hatty's so maybe ours will be one of them. https://www.megalithic.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Forum&file=viewtopic&topic=9187&forum=4&start=20

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#17: Stonehenge as a Neolithic calendar: Author: Timothy Darvill
The author argues that the numerology of these sarsen elements materialises a perpetual calendar based on a tropical solar year of 365.25 days. The indigenous development of such a calendar in north-western Europe is possible, but an Eastern Mediterranean origin is also considered. The adoption of a solar calendar was associated with the spread of solar cosmologies during the third millennium BC and was used to regularise festivals and ceremonies? Cambridge University Press: "Keeping time at Stonehenge"

#18: Stonehenge as a temple built by the Romans.: Author: Inigo Jones & John Web
Jones was also known for insisting on an idea that seems remarkably improbable today: that Stonehenge was a Roman temple, constructed according to the principles of classical architecture British Library article

#19: Stonehenge as a temple built by the Danes: Author: Walter Charleton (1663)
Charleton concluded that Stonehenge must have been the work of the Danes, since they had the technology and skill to transport and elevate the monolithic stones, and that the monument was built as a meeting place for the election and coronation of the Danish kings. Royal College of Physicians

#20: Stonehenge as the Domain of the ancestors: Authors: Parker Pearson and Ramilisonina
"where, it is proposed, bluestone and sarsen settings materialised the concept of the ancestral dead, the domain of the ancestors." {contrasting with} "The Cursus.. contains no ancestors (i.e. standing stones)" Sidestone Press: Stonehenge for the Ancestors

#21: Stonehenge as the axis mundi / Unification hypothesis : Author: Mike Parker Pearson
"this place {Stonehenge} would thus constitute an axis mundi that was returned to time and again throughout the Mesolithic and into the Neolithic. Eventually the locale would be monumentalised in stone, perhaps to enhance and memorialise this gathering-place for the unification of Britain’s Neolithic farmers from across southern Britain.... The bluestone circle of Stonehenge stage 1 embodied a unification of ancestral identities with southwest Wales" and Stage 2 a "response designed to reinforce and create unity amongst culturally late Neolithic populations...." Sidestone Press: Stonehenge for the Ancestors Part 2

#22: Stonehenge as a Sun & Moon calendar: Author: Neil L Thomas
"Stonehenge Sacred Symbolism reveals the Bible’s Old Testament tale of the disappearance of Sodom and Gomorrah actually occurred about 2250 BC.... The pre-historic peoples of Ireland, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, France and Germany exhibit similar elements of ancient beliefs and a Sun calendar: sixteen months, four weeks a month, five days a week, 365 days a year.... The Stonehenge Moon calendar featured two rings of pits dug into the subsoil" Stonehenge Sacred Symbolism

#23: Stonehenge as the Speculum of the All-pervading Glance Author: Unknown (referred to as the London Druids by EO Gordon, 1914)
"The Druids, it is said, by means of a most powerful reflecting mirror of metal called “Dyrch Haul Kibddar” filled the circle (Stonehenge) with a blaze of glory from on high" Dyrch Haul Kibddar probably refers to Drych Ail Cibddar: recorded in the Triads as one of the famous enchanters, under the name of the three "priv Uedrithiawg Ynys Prydain," refer to The Myvyrian Archaiology (of Wales) for more information. EO Gordon: ‘Prehistoric London’, first published in 1914


#24: Stonehenge as a monument (transported from Ireland by giants) to slain men Author: Geoffrey of Monmouth (12th Century)
"Geoffrey tells us that the high king, Aurelius Ambrosius, wanted to create a fitting memorial to the slain men. Merlin suggested an expedition to Ireland for the purpose of transplanting the Giant's Ring stone circle to Britain. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, the stones of the Giant's Ring were originally brought from Africa to Ireland by giants..." Good summary at Iversity.org

[Hatty]

The Stonehenge list drew a response from 'Sem', a long-time contributor who once upon a time posted a critical but fair review of TME on the Megalithic Portal site

[Mick Harper]

Sem gave a right slagging to THOBR though.

[Boreades]

[Grant]

Just reading Francis Pryor's Scenes from Prehistoric Life. It's about the major prehistoric sites in Britain and is quite interesting but, as always with Pryor, his thinking always runs on the same lines.

Every hand axe found in a bog was a sacrificial offering, carefully placed as an offering to the Gods. Every stone circle is placed in a ,liminal, place on a boundary between the place of the living and the dead. Every colourful hand-axe was a religious offering.

[Grant]

But here's a good one:

"In many tribal societies the consumption of alcohol is, and was, confined to religious and ceremonial occasions, such as the interment of bodies, the construction of tombs and during feasts on special days."

[Hatty]

New Mineral analysis indicates Stonehenge’s Altar Stone originated from Scotland is a report posted up by The Megalithic Portal on the suspected Scottish origin of the Stonehenge Altar Stone, though the scientists, assuming their conclusions are correct, admit to still being puzzled over the means of transport

[Mick Harper]

Ain't it grand when archaeologists start bandying around plate tectonics and atomic physics as if they understood them. Stick to whittling flint into stone axes for tourists, chaps.

Ain't it grand when geologists start bandying around Lower Palaeozoic Sandstone as if they could tell a natural rock apart from compressed building material? Stick to whittling archaeologists with your hammers, chaps.

We never did get to grips with the megalithic geography of this part of the world when we were last there on hols but we're down that way again next month so maybe we can send out some research teams. We'll tell 'em it's National Trust, they like that.