I believe many people are familiar with this painting.
It's called Stonehenge and is a tourist hotspot in Amesbury, Wiltshire, England.
Every year, 1 million people from all over the world come to visit. Stonehenge is also known as the Circular Stone Forest. There are dozens of boulders in a large circle, some of which are up to six meters high.
Stonehenge has been around for thousands of years
According to the radiocarbon dating method, it is concluded that it was built around 4000-2000 BC, from the end of the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. The age of Stonehenge is still controversial. However, a small number of historians believe that Stonehenge was built during the Late Stone Age between 2500 and 2000 BC.
It is estimated that the circular stone forest has been standing on this plain for thousands of years.
Archaeological research in 2008 unearthed ancient ashes dating back to 1958 B.C., and archaeologists speculated that the site may have originally been an ancient burial site.
The mystery of Stonehenge
The Stonehenge site has existed for thousands of years, but how and for what purpose it was built remains a mystery to this day.
The mystery of Stonehenge is mainly manifested in the following aspects:
The mystery of how it was built: The stones in Stonehenge are so heavy that it is difficult to imagine how the ancients transported them to the site and stood up. Some believe that the stones may have been carried from a distance by human or animal power, but this claim makes it difficult to explain why so many boulders were brought in and placed precisely in this location. It has also been suggested that the stones may have been moved to the site by rolling or sliding, but this claim is also lacking sufficient evidence to support it.
The Mystery of Use: There are many different speculations about the purpose of Stonehenge. Some believe that it may have been a religious site for sacrifices or prayers. It is also suggested that it may have been an astronomical observatory for observing the positions of the sun, moon and stars for agricultural rituals and the establishment of a calendar. In addition, it is also believed that it may have been an ancient cemetery or monument to commemorate people or ancestors who died in war. However, none of these speculations have been fully confirmed, and the true purpose of Stonehenge remains a mystery.
Mystery of Historical Background: The historical background of Stonehenge is also full of mysteries. Archaeologists speculate that Stonehenge may have been built between 3000 BC and 1500 BC, but little has been written about its builders and users. Although there are some legends and myths related to Stonehenge, the veracity of these legends and myths is also yet to be verified.
Stonehenge is speculated to be of great significance
Several important positions in Stonehenge seem to indicate where the sun rises on the day of the summer solstice. And from the opposite direction, it is just where the sun sets on the winter solstice. In addition to the sun, the rise and fall of the moon seems to have been recorded. However, the moon does not move in cycles like the sun, it has a lunar calendar that lasts for 19 years. There are more than 40 column holes near the entrance of the stone henge, arranged in 6 rows, which coincide with the northernmost position of the moon in the cycle, so it is very likely that the 6 rows of column holes represent 6 cycles, that is, the time of 6 lunar calendars, and the observation and recording of the moon's movement for more than 100 years.
But to date, no one knows exactly what it was built for. Some scientists believe that the circular stone forest was a center for ceremonies held by early British tribes or religious organizations. There are also some experts who believe that it is a place to observe astronomy, and that people are likely to hold events there when the seasons change.
Scientists have confirmed that the stones used to build the circular stone forest came from West Woods, 25 kilometers away in Marlborough.
Stone Age axe carvings with daggers and cups have been found in tombs in England to commemorate the dead, as well as carvings on the pillars of Stonehenge. Scientists believe that Stonehenge is a memorial to the dead. Laser scans of the stone pillars of Stonehenge by British scientists found that there were carvings such as bronze axes on the stone pillars, but they could not be seen with the naked eye due to their age. Archaeologists have carried out partial laser scans of three of Stonehenge's 83 stone pillars. They expect that complete laser measurements will provide solid evidence that Stonehenge is a memorial to the dead, especially with the hundreds of ancient tombs scattered around the area.
Other theories suggest that Stonehenge is a calendar. On the morning of the summer solstice, the rays of the sunrise and Stonehenge form a neat queue, and this theory is not contradictory to the assumption that the monument of the dead can be held at the same time. The sun may be part of this monument as a sign of value; Or that the historical use of Stonehenge has changed over time.
The formation of Stonehenge remains a mystery to mankind.