Secrets Of Stonehenge Unlocked?

New Theory: It Was Place Of Healing, Not Ancient, Giant Clock Or Calendar, Or Altar

(CBS)  For centuries, man has speculated about the ring of giant stones on Salisbury Plain in England known as Stonehenge.

Who built it? Why? How did they get the stones there to begin with?

Theories have ranged from Stonehenge being a clock, to a calendar, even a sacrificial altar.

The Druids and Greeks have been mentioned as possible builders. Then again, so have aliens from UFOs, and Atlanteans.

But a new excavation at the site, led by Britain's Falmouth University, has led to yet another theory. Now, archeologists at Stonehenge, such as Andrew Fitzpatrick of Wessex Archoelogy, say the 4,000-plus-year-old wonder may actually have been -- a place of healing.

On The Early Show Thursday, Fitzpatrick explained how that conclusion was reached.

To see the interview, click on the arrow in the image below.

[rf35]

I guess I can buy that. It''s certainly better than aliens or Atlanteans. I can see that a healing temple to ancient gods is more plausable that some kind of solar or celestial calendar. After all, these were humans just emerging from the stone age.

I wonder if they had better luck with their gods than Christians do (sorry, couldn''t resist)?

[secundus2]

The mineral content of the springs and stones might have had a beneficial effect on health, but the Falmouth archeologists'' theory has to be published in scholarly journals (not the mass media) where the evidence for the theory will get reviewed by specialists. Until then it deserves no higher standing than other speculation. Seeking news headlines is sometimes a bad sign.

[inventagod]

I agree with rf35 -

Just another pile-o-rocks for dead gods...
We are no better, nor more godly than they were.

[prinzowhales]

I would imagine that it would serve multiple purposes. If we look at temples in ancient times, medieval fairs, etc....they fulfilled various purposes....Just look at a modern church...food bank...singles meets...bingo...business networking... they even find time to worship God.

[flreason]

As usual, the scientists are trying to compartmentalize ancient knowledge. There was not a clear demarcation between science, magic, healing, etc. among primitive societies. The orientation of the stones with the solstice sun is proven. Why would they not have equated the "magic" of the solar cycles, the plant and animal cycles that were aligned with the solar cycles, and healing? The fact that the stones were from a "magic" location where the waters were "healing," would make them even more valuable in their use in orienting with the solar and lunar cycles.

As for these people being incapable of astronomy...I think that''s arrogance. The fact that their society was more primitive doesn''t mean that they were stupid. They viewed the stars and the sun every day. They saw the growing cycles. They observed that the days were shorter in winter. There were geniuses then, just as now. Their amazing structures prove that. The Mayans were primitive in some respects, yet their calendar was much more precise than ours. Our claim to superiority is arguable.

[extremophil]

I though it was common knowledge that Stonehenge was a landing pad for flying saucers so they can bring Elvis'' alien fetus to earth and reunite with ancient green men so the moon will adjust its axis blah blah blah.......

[lawyertom1]

This is news? It has long been understood that it was a calendar and has been a place of worship. Nothing new here. Yawn. While you cannot know too much scientifically and it is good to confirm past theories, only the uninformed would think this is headline news.

[walt1944-2009]

Theories abound as to what Stomehenge was really built for and who builkt it.

The current neocon theory as held by the Great Emperor Bush II and the neocon Fascist Nazi GOP is that Stonehenge was erected by out-of-work liberals and progressives who had nothing better to do! Once built, the early neocon Fascist Nazis (comparable to Adolph Hitler''s Aryan race) chased the progressive liberals from the place and, claiming it as their own achievement, began using it as a marketplace to sell and exchange ordinary pebbles painted to look like gold nuggets for the real thing!

Thus was born the concepts of "Reganomics" and "Ferengi econmics", as employed by neocon Fascist Nazis today.

After hours, the early neocon Fascist Nazis would use the place to draw military plans and develop strategies to invade their neighbors, labeling them as "terrrrrorists" who had "weapons of mass destruction" such as cow dung and a strange weapon called "the wheel"!

Thus was born "The Bush Doctrine"!!!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!
sig heil, (more of the same) McCain!!!

[rukindr]

This is news? It has long been understood that it was a calendar and has been a place of worship. Nothing new here. Yawn. While you cannot know too much scientifically and it is good to confirm past theories, only the uninformed would think this is headline news.

Posted by LawyerTom1

Did you read the article before commenting? No way you did.

[rukindr]

walt1944:
Seriously? What is up with the people posting today?

[rational_1]

walt1944:
Seriously? What is up with the people posting today?
Posted by rukindr at 06:07 PM : Apr 10, 2008

Maybe they''ve running out of Haldol where he lives.

[seafang]

Why did it have to have any purpose. Maybe some nutcake artist decided to see just how much junk people would buy into as a work of art.

I have a video that shows exactly how one man could have built the whole *** thing all by himself without and modern tools at all. And the guy who figured out how to do it, is building his own stone henge right in his own back yard. And yes he can lift one of those 11 ton rocks on top of the columns all by himeslf without any machinery. Everybody in the neighborhood comes out to watch him build it so there is no trickery.

[sgtrds]

I think the people that put it together did it just to scr*ew with the minds of people in the future and all died giggling to themselves about it.

[rushlimpdrug]

Charlie Heston had it built for a movie set for one
of his crazy azzz movies.

I think it was about how God parted the sea
to separate England from the rest of the continent.

Yeah, that''s the ticket.

The movie was called Rock On Charlie.

It was either that or Annie Get Your Gun.

[pollroller1]

It is a place of healing. I watched the video and I am feeling much better.

[Garry Denke]

Healing Stones?

Ordovician Bluestone from Preseli Hills and Carboniferous Whitestone from Wales Tors were brought 250 km to Stonehenge to teach Coal Exploration Mining. Bluestone and Whitestone were not placed in random order; instead they mirror Preseli Hills and South Wales Coalfield geology. Eighty-two (82) rocks of Ordovician Bluestone were set at Stonehenge in two concentric rings %u2013 the inner oval being spotted dolerite and the outer circle being rhyolite, tuff, and dolerite. Fifty-six (56) mounds of Carboniferous Whitestone were set at Stonehenge in a concentric ring %u2013 inside Fifty-six (56) separate holes mounded with biomicrite nearest the Coal Exploratory Mine Ditch (place to explore).

Mapping of Preseli Hills quarries and South Wales Coalfield mining sites by DENOCO INC %u2013 the dolerites are from the Carn Menyn outcrops, the rhyolites and tuffs are from the surrounding Ordovician Volcanic *****, and the biomicrites are from the outlier Carboniferous High Tor mounds alongside South Wales Coal Measures. Fly ash studies inside an 800,000-year-old Crosskeys (Pontycymer) cave show Coal energy as the Ancient campfire fuel preferred.

Stonehenge was (and still is) a Coal Exploration Mining School. "The Ancient Message" is clear as crystal %u2013 Do not hunt for Coal fuel near Ordovician dolerite ridges; Do not hunt for Coal fuel near Ordovician rhyolite and tuff walls; Hunt for Coal fuel near Carboniferous biomicrite Whitestone mounds.

Heating Stones.

[sexophonia]

it''s just a place of mystery to give u something to obviously criticize

[bobgee_1999]

Oh, the construction of the thing isn''t as mysterious as all that. It''s amazing what a BFMI operation can accomplish.

[iknowbest-2009]

Healing Stones?

Ordovician Bluestone from Preseli Hills and Carboniferous Whitestone from Wales Tors were brought 250 km to Stonehenge to teach Coal Exploration Mining ....

--------------------------------------------------

Posted by GarryDenke at 11:16 PM : Apr 10, 2008


This is the instant winner of funniest posting year to date on the CBS news website. Garry, you are a scandal! "Coal Exploration Mining School"!!! Stop it, you''re killing us and the dirty hippies are going to get mad. Thanks for the comic relief!

[swwils]

Stonehenge,the big mystery.They can dig and spend money out the wazoo,but when they are done it is still just a theory.That place is mysterious but everyone has their own observation of it.All the different scientist from around the world say something totally opposite of each other.I am 47 yrs.old,and this is about the 20th different theory of this place.

[Garry Denke]

**** erectus, observers of the Brunhes-Matuyama Reversal (last universal magnetic reversal) 780,000 years ago, were using South Wales Coalfield outcrop fuel for heating and cooking in a British Isles'' 800,000-year-old cave. Coal was the preferred heating fuel of **** erectus because it burned a hotter flame, lasted all night long, and emitted less smoke in caves. Found occurring with "Whitestone" which looked like that of Salisbury Plain caused many Coal dusters to be dug there yielding no fuel. The earliest known Coal exploratory test holes are located in Stonehenge Car Park and date back to 8,000 BC. Before these Three (3) Dry Holes were abandoned they were plugged with Pine timbers carried from the Preseli Hills and South Wales Coalfield area. By 3,000 BC the difference between elder "Whitestone" (Carboniferous Limestone) having Coal and younger "white stone" (Cretaceous Chalk) not having Coal was known, and taught, at Stonehenge. How is it possible to know that? Because the opencast Coal miners also carried tons of elder "Whitestone" from South Wales for comparison classes at the Coal Exploration Mining School established there, 400 years before any "Bluestone" (Ordovician Volcanics) arrived.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Geological_map_of_Great_Britain.jpg

[j-whitman]

They should just ask McCain about Stonehenge - He was there when they built it

[azcagirl]

I think the people that put it together did it just to scr*ew with the minds of people in the future and all died giggling to themselves about it.

Posted by SgtRDS at 08:02 PM : Apr 10, 2008

I think I like this explanation the best. :)

[downsteamjim]

Stonehenge is a major cause of global warming. 1000''s + people go there every year just to see it. It has a rediculously large carbon footprint. Any day now Al Gore is going to fly there in a large private jet and begin it''s deconstruction.

[Garry Denke]

3000 BC

Cosheston - The oldest sandstone sedimentary rock of Stonehenge is Devonian Period micaceous silicate. Devonian Period sandstone sedimentary rock is the second (2nd) construction material imported by the Stonehenge builders. This material is approximately 408 million years old. This stone is called Senni Beds (Old Red Sandstone) Formation rock. It is from South Wales Coalfield area.

2600 BC

Bluestone - The volcanic rock (oldest geologically) of Stonehenge is Ordovician Period intrusive igneous diabase (dolerite) and extrusive igneous felsite (rhyolite) and tuff (basic). Ordovician Period igneous rock is the third (3rd) construction material imported by the Stonehenge builders. This material is approximately 470 million years old. This stone is called Ordovician Volcanic rock. It is from South Wales Coalfield area.

2200 BC

Sarsen - The youngest sandstone sedimentary rock of Stonehenge is Oligocene-Miocene (Tertiary) Period silicate. Oligocene-Miocene Period sandstone sedimentary rock is the fourth (4th) construction material imported by the Stonehenge builders. This material is approximately 24 million years old. This stone is called Reading Formation rock. It is from Marlborough Downs Mining area.

Geology taught.

[Garry Denke]

Taught geology.

White Chalk - The outcrop sedimentary rock of Stonehenge is Late Cretaceous Period, Santonian Age, calcium carbonate. Late Cretaceous Period outcrop sedimentary rock is the in situ construction material used by the Stonehenge builders. This material is approximately 85 million years old. This stone is called Seaford Chalk Formation rock. It is from Stonehenge Ditch Mining area.

3000 BC

Whitestone - The oldest limestone sedimentary rock of Stonehenge is Early Carboniferous (Mississippian) Period, Arundian Age, calcium carbonate. Early Carboniferous Period limestone sedimentary rock is the first (1st) construction material imported by the Stonehenge builders. This material is approximately 340 million years old. This stone is called High Tor (Birnbeck) Limestone Formation rock. It is from South Wales Coalfield area.

3000 BC

[Garry Denke]

"Who built it?"

South Wales Coalfield miners from South Wales.

"Why?"

Stonehenge was a Coal Prospect that went Bust, afterwards it became The First Mining College, it saved digging further Coal Prospects eastward, all of which would have been Dusters.

"How did they get the stones there to begin with?"

1) Animal Skins bagged the South Wales "Whitestone" rock.
2) Pine Timbers rolled the South Wales "Cosheston" rock.
3) Pine Timbers rolled the South Wales "Bluestone" rock.
4) Oak Timbers rolled the Marlborough Downs "Sarsen" rock.

White Chalk looks like Whitestone, that is why the College was built, Sarsen area having no Coal either. Mesolithic and Neolithic hot Coal Exploration Play was to the west in a North-South Trend.

Denke, G.W. 1973. "Stonehenge Phase I: An Openpit Coalfield Model; The First
Geologic Mining School (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) GDG, 73; 1-56.

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