Research Backs Human Muscle in Stonehenge Construction
Newser • • science
Key Points:
- New research suggests that Stonehenge's massive altar stone, weighing over 13,000 pounds, was likely transported by human effort rather than glacial movement during the last Ice Age.
- Scientists modeled ancient ice flows and found no direct glacial route from Scotland's Orcadian Basin to Stonehenge, making a natural glacial transport scenario improbable.
- The study proposes that Neolithic people moved the 16-foot sandstone in stages over land and water, demonstrating advanced planning and coordination across long distances.
- The reason for choosing a stone from so far away remains unclear, but researchers compare it to modern preferences for importing exotic materials like marble.