Latest news with #Woodhenge
Times
11 hours ago
- Science
- Times
Cold hard facts behind henges that mark summer solstice
At exactly 3.42am on Saturday the summer solstice occurs at the moment when the northern hemisphere reaches its greatest tilt towards the sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the year. Stonehenge is the best-known prehistoric monument for marking the summer solstice. Viewed from the centre of the stone circle, sunrise on the horizon at the solstice is marked by the outlying Heel Stone, and as the sun passes behind the stone several minutes later it casts a long shadow into the heart of the stone circle. But there are many other, less well-known ancient monuments marking the summer solstice. About two miles from Stonehenge is the site of Woodhenge, built at about the same time as Stonehenge in about 2500BC. It was formed of six concentric oval formations of standing timber posts, surrounded by a bank and ditch. This oval arrangement of the timbers was aligned northeast to southwest, the same as Stonehenge, and would have given a clear view of the summer solstice sunrise towards the northeast horizon. Another ancient timber circle was Seahenge, discovered in 1998 on the north Norfolk coast at Holme-next-the-Sea. Shifting sands on the beach revealed the gnarled tops of 55 ancient wooden posts placed close together with a huge upturned tree stump in the centre of the circle. Originally the site would have been built on a saltmarsh, with the tide coming in and out from the sea, but over time layers of peat preserved the lower parts of the timbers from decay. A similarly mysterious timber circle dating to the same period lay some 300ft away. By analysing the tree rings in the wood, the timbers were estimated to have been felled in the spring of 2049BC, and a new theory suggested that the two timber circles were built during a bitterly cold period of climate 4,000 years ago. Severe winters and late springs would have put the prehistoric people at that time under huge stress, and because the timbers at the henges were aligned with sunrise on the summer solstice they may have been designed to extend the summers and bring on milder winters.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Construction Workers Accidentally Discovered A Stonehenge-Esque Ritual Site
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Archaeologists have discovered a Stonehenge-esque circle of timber posts in Denmark, thought to be from the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age. The site was likely used as a ritual ground and gathering place, and the wood posts may have been aligned with the Sun as the stones in Stonehenge were. Further excavations and DNA testing will attempt to determine who built this circle, and whether they were related to the builders of sites like Stonehenge and Woodhenge. Many archaeological discoveries make themselves known to the world by mere accident, and construction workers in Denmark have added another major discovery to that list. During the building of a housing development in the Danish town of Aars, workers unearthed a site reminiscent of the mysterious and iconic Stonehenge. Further excavation revealed the remnants of wooden posts that had been arranged in a circle, which initially stumped Vesthimmerlands Museum curator Sidsel Wåhlin. Along with excavation leader Andreas Bo Nielsen and his research team, the team deduced that the collection of wooden posts was most likely a ritual structure similar to the legendary Stonehenge and its neighbor, Woodhenge. 'It was an extraordinary find,' Wåhlin said in a museum press release. 'The timber circle gives us valuable insight into rituals and social structures from the late Stone Age [or] early Bronze Age. It is a testament to Denmark's rich archaeological heritage, and the close connections of the Himmerländing people to other areas and peoples in Europe.' Made of at least 45 wooden posts placed two meters (6.5 feet) apart, the entire structure has a diameter of 30 meters (about 98 feet) and is thought to have been built sometime between 2600 and 1600 B.C. It was built on what is already known to be sacred ancient land where rituals were performed. A similar wooden henge, which was determined to be a gravesite with burial mounds, had previously been found a little over a mile north. The newly excavated Danish site was likely built around the same time as Stonehenge, the purpose of which is still debated. Many archaeologists agree that the sarsen stones (which are also the largest stones) near the center of Stonehenge were aligned with the solar cycle. The Heel Stone on the northeast end is one of the most significant of the sarsens—on the summer solstice, the Sun rises to its left, and the remains of another stone across from it suggest that the pair may have been intended to capture the sunrise between them. The winter solstice was welcomed by the Altar Stone, which has since fallen on its side. Like Stonehenge, this newly-discovered wooden ritual site also appears to have been arranged in alignment with the Sun. And, potentially, both may have served as gathering places for locals and weary migrants. The new discovery suggests that henges may have been widespread social and ritual sites throughout Europe. Nielsen and Wåhlin now plan to excavate the site further and search for artifacts used for building or rituals, such as picks and arrowheads. Archaeologists will also test for DNA to see if there is a genetic connection between the builders of the Aars site and the henges in England—some of the Jutes, who inhabited this region during the late Neolithic and early Bronze age, migrated to what is now Great Britain and may have contributed to both collections of sites. 'The excavation is a meticulous process and we are excited about the find,' Nielsen said in the press release. 'The timber circle is a window into the past, giving us an insight into the ceremonial and ritual activities of our ancestors.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Construction Workers Accidentally Discovered A Stonehenge-Esque Ritual Site
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Archaeologists have discovered a Stonehenge-esque circle of timber posts in Denmark, thought to be from the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age. The site was likely used as a ritual ground and gathering place, and the wood posts may have been aligned with the Sun as the stones in Stonehenge were. Further excavations and DNA testing will attempt to determine who built this circle, and whether they were related to the builders of sites like Stonehenge and Woodhenge. Many archaeological discoveries make themselves known to the world by mere accident, and construction workers in Denmark have added another major discovery to that list. During the building of a housing development in the Danish town of Aars, workers unearthed a site reminiscent of the mysterious and iconic Stonehenge. Further excavation revealed the remnants of wooden posts that had been arranged in a circle, which initially stumped Vesthimmerlands Museum curator Sidsel Wåhlin. Along with excavation leader Andreas Bo Nielsen and his research team, the team deduced that the collection of wooden posts was most likely a ritual structure similar to the legendary Stonehenge and its neighbor, Woodhenge. 'It was an extraordinary find,' Wåhlin said in a museum press release. 'The timber circle gives us valuable insight into rituals and social structures from the late Stone Age [or] early Bronze Age. It is a testament to Denmark's rich archaeological heritage, and the close connections of the Himmerländing people to other areas and peoples in Europe.' Made of at least 45 wooden posts placed two meters (6.5 feet) apart, the entire structure has a diameter of 30 meters (about 98 feet) and is thought to have been built sometime between 2600 and 1600 B.C. It was built on what is already known to be sacred ancient land where rituals were performed. A similar wooden henge, which was determined to be a gravesite with burial mounds, had previously been found a little over a mile north. The newly excavated Danish site was likely built around the same time as Stonehenge, the purpose of which is still debated. Many archaeologists agree that the sarsen stones (which are also the largest stones) near the center of Stonehenge were aligned with the solar cycle. The Heel Stone on the northeast end is one of the most significant of the sarsens—on the summer solstice, the Sun rises to its left, and the remains of another stone across from it suggest that the pair may have been intended to capture the sunrise between them. The winter solstice was welcomed by the Altar Stone, which has since fallen on its side. Like Stonehenge, this newly-discovered wooden ritual site also appears to have been arranged in alignment with the Sun. And, potentially, both may have served as gathering places for locals and weary migrants. The new discovery suggests that henges may have been widespread social and ritual sites throughout Europe. Nielsen and Wåhlin now plan to excavate the site further and search for artifacts used for building or rituals, such as picks and arrowheads. Archaeologists will also test for DNA to see if there is a genetic connection between the builders of the Aars site and the henges in England—some of the Jutes, who inhabited this region during the late Neolithic and early Bronze age, migrated to what is now Great Britain and may have contributed to both collections of sites. 'The excavation is a meticulous process and we are excited about the find,' Nielsen said in the press release. 'The timber circle is a window into the past, giving us an insight into the ceremonial and ritual activities of our ancestors.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
