Stonehenge

Stonehenge

Thesis: Stonehenge was built by the Early Britons. With the evidence at hand, the Early Britons even though they have few writings and less proof of mathematical ingenuity seem to have built Stonehenge.

Introduction

I. Who

A. Legends of Who Built Stonehenge

1. Devil1

a. Heel Stone

i. Thrown at fleeing priest

ii. Has indent today

b. Woman in Ireland

2. Merlin

a. King Ambrosius2

b. "Dance of Giants"3

c. Merlin = (?) Myrddin4

B. Early Britons5

1. Dismissed by Inigo Jones

a. No knowledge of building

b. If Romans found any buildings, would have written about it

2. "Ignorant savages" to Jones

3. Actual possible builders

C. Romans

1. Possessed skill and knowledge6

2. Drawings of Stonehenge and Roman Theater similar

a. Equilateral Triangles

b. Units of measure matched

c. Matched in proportion and shape if two stones were added

3. Not them6, 7

a. Too primitive

b. No inscriptions

D. Druids

1. Not much historically known

2. Celts fled to England from France to continue way of life

3. Human sacrifice8

a. Appease Gods

b. Tell Future

4. Priests to Early Britons

5. Also ruled out by Jones8

a. Did not know mathematics

b. Had none of the skills of architecture except philosophy and astronomy

6. Could have worshipped there- NOT build it9, 10

a. Stones standing by 1500 BCE

b. Before Druids came to Briton

E. Random Possibilities11

1. Stones really crushed held by "marvelous" cement

2. Lost Continent of Atlantis

3. Indians of North America

a. Similarities between Indian mounds and platform mounds of Silbury Hill

b. Stonehenge similar to base of burial mounds in N. America

II. Way

A. Structure

1. Basic12

a. 91 stones today

b. Around 140 originally

2. 4 Elements13

a. Outermost circle

i. 30 columns of Sandstone

ii. Topped with 30 or more lintel stones

b. Bluestones-Outer

i. 5 trilithons (gate like structure)

ii. Horseshoe shape

c. Bluestones-Inner

i. Smaller than Outer

ii. Horseshoe shape

d. Bank and Ditch

i. Around whole thing

ii. 56 white chalk patches (2-6ft across) outside

3. Aubrey Holes14

a. Many contained bones

i. funeral rites possibly

ii. link to Druids

b. Believed to be filled in and emptied at certain points of time

4. 4 Station Stones15

a. Standing pillars

b. Indicate corners of rectangle

c. May have helped align circle structures

5. Heel Stone16

a. Weighs 35 tons

b. Standing by itself

c. Sun rises over every year

B. Construction

1. "Primitive tools and techniques were used with remarkable success"

2. Used17

a. Deer antler picks

b. Ox shoulder shovels

c. Flint hammers

d. Leather or reed baskets and ropes

3. Digging of Ditches18, 19

a. Circle shape

i. Sharp stick tied to cord stuck in ground, and scratched soil

ii. No evidence, but assumed

b. Ditch

i. Antler picks hammed into chalk

ii. Chalk carried to bank and dumped

iii. Diggers removed over 3500 cubic yards

iv. 100 diggers and 200 carriers could have completed it in 35 days

4. Builders

a. Evidence suggests farmers and traders20

i. Not primitive and backwards

ii. Highly organized

iii.