Stonehenge’s Centre Stone:
Recent geochemical analysis reveals that Stonehenge’s central Altar Stone, a six-tonne sandstone slab, originated from the Orcadian Basin in northern Scotland, over 800 km from its current location in southern England.
- This discovery challenges previous beliefs that the stone came from southwest Wales, suggesting that the construction of Stonehenge involved a much broader geographical collaboration than previously thought.
- The journey of the Altar Stone, whether by land or sea, underscores the significant effort and purpose behind its transport, indicating a highly integrated Neolithic Britain.
- The exact reasons for and methods of this transportation remain unclear, but the findings suggest that Stonehenge was known and valued across a much wider area than previously understood, highlighting the complexity and ingenuity of prehistoric societies.
