The Lovely Planet » Neolithic http://www.thelovelyplanet.net Food, culture, art and traditions from around this lovely planet Sun, 09 Jun 2013 08:50:48 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Stonehenge: The Neolithic monument of England http://www.thelovelyplanet.net/stonehenge-of-england/ http://www.thelovelyplanet.net/stonehenge-of-england/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:43:49 +0000 admin http://www.thelovelyplanet.net/?p=1650 Stonehenge is a 3000 years old bewildered circle of horizontal stones and it is a very famous pre-historic site of the Great Britian. Stonehenge the Neolithic monument of England is located in Salisbury Plain, west of Amesbury, in the English county of Wiltshire. Stonehenge is a center of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, which attracts almost a million of visitors every year. The current remains are the only and existing remnants of the original Stonehenge. They have suffered from weather effects and the damage by human pillage during their age. Most of them were taken away by the people to build their houses and roads.  Some of them were dissected by the visitors as souvenirs over the last 200 years. However the remainings are now owned by the National Trust  and  looked after by the Crown and English Heritage.  It is also declared as  Scheduled Ancient Monument of UK. This magnificent site of Stonehenge was added to the UNESCO‘s list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 along with Avebury Henge monument.

Stonehenge of England. Image © Stephen Wilkinson for TAKE EARTH

Stonehenge has remained  one of the most interesting subject for the archeologists as several researchs have been made on them during the last century. Archaeologists have divided the construction of Stonehenge into three stages which are known Stonehenge I, Stonehenge II and Stonehenge III. According to the research the Stonehenge I was constructed by the native Neolithic people of England around 3100 BC. The circle is 320 feet in diameter, and  its channel  was 20 feet wide and 7 feet deep. The Stonehenge II was erected  around 2100 BC. Granite stones also known as bluestones  were assembled within the original bank and ditch circles. However many facts of this construction are still mysterious and a matter of curiosity for the archeologists. Stonehenge III is considered as the present existing stone circle which was constructed in 2000 BC. According to the researchers there were originally 30 upright stones; 17 of these still stand. These stones are 7 meters long with approximate weight of 50 tons each. The surfaces of these stones were compressed rhythmically with hammers, and fit together in order to stand upright.

Stonehenge, the Neolithic monument of England is undoubtedly a gorgeous monument due to its impressive scale and beauty. For its proper conservation , nobody is allowed to approach the stones so that their solitary existence be maintained.

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