In fact, the Ancient Order of Druids was not organized until 1781 in Britain, and did not begin worshipping at Stonehenge until 1905 (Bender et al. 126). Thus, it seems highly unlikely ancient Druids built the henge. This should dispel this common myth, but many people still believe the Druids were responsible for Stonehenge.
It is interesting to note that Stonehenge is not the only "henge" in Britain. In fact, there are numerous henges, or circular banks with a ditch located inside the bank (Atkinson 152). These henges actually took their name from Stonehenge, which is the most elaborate of the existing henges. In addition, there have been numerous myths surrounding Stonehenge in modern history. In Medieval times, folklore said Arthur's magician Merlin used Stonehenge for religious ceremonies, and during the Renaissance, folklore attributed the prehistoric temple to Greek or Roman builders (Castleden 9-12). As society and culture has evolved and gained new technologies, the origins of Stonehenge keep changing. Perhaps someday there will be enough information, or new dating techniques, that will allow archaeologists to pinpoint the time period when Stonehenge was built, and who built it.
Many people believe Stonehenge is a religious temple, in fact, that is the prevailing view of scientists and architects. However, that may not imply the same meaning and use as today's houses of worship. Author Atkinson continues, "Indeed it may well have been used for many activities which today have no overt connection with religious belief or practice, such as political councils and the dispensing of justice; or even for more frankly secular purposes like the holding of markets" (Atkinson 168). The prevalence of henges throughout Britain (and only in Britain, by the way), indicates they were important to the culture and society of the time. Whether they were temples or not may never be known, but it seems certain that so much work went into them; they had to serve more than one purpose to be...
We know that many such sites actually exist in England, and they date back to the same prehistoric eras. Conclusion It would be exciting if some artifact were uncovered that lent itself to an exact understanding of why Stonehenge was created, and why it was important to maintain it and preserve it for the descendants of the people who lived in the time the original structure was built, or even II
Stonehenge was certainly a marvel of construction technical, but Separate from the design process, Stonehenge is also experienced through the senses, which therefore gives rise to aural, visual, olfactory, and tactile architecture. As people move through the monument, Stonehenge is experienced as a time sequence. Even though our culture considers architecture to be a visual experience, the other senses play a role in how we experience both natural and
Tess of the D'Urbervilles It is Stonehenge!' said Clare. 'The heathen temple, you mean?... you used to say at Talbothays that I was a heathen. So now I am at home.' This description of Stonehenge from Tess of the D'Urbervilles is not merely the poetic imagination at work. Stonehenge is indeed, by any definition, a 'heathen temple'. This great Neolithic monument, situated in an isolated part of Wiltshire in southern England, was constructed
Scholastic: 1993 Curious young astronomers who ask, "what are stars made of?" And "Why do astronauts float in space?" will find answers here. A brief survey of the universe in a question and answers format. Reading level: Ages 4-8 Paperback: 28 pages ISBN: 0439465834 Tayleur, K. Excuses! Survive and Succeed by David Montimore Baxter. (Mankato, MN) Stone Arch Books: 2007 Young David Mortimore Baxter, who knows how to stay out of trouble, shares excuses for
Geneticists have been trying to unearth so-called founder mutations: one original genetic mutation that subsequently caused generations of people to carry and/or suffer from a serious illness like sickle cell anemia. Unlike many other mutations, founder mutations can be traced to one original ancestor. The discovery and study of founder mutations allows anthropologists to research the general patterns of human migration, providing a more complete understanding of history. Religion
In this way, material culture and social paradigm were embedded in the cultural mythology of any given time in the past. This once again emphasizes the inaccuracy of the Christian myth as the sole archaeological paradigm of research. The recognition of myth and indeed the "other" in the past provides the archaeologist with a fresh view of the past, which is much richer and wider than might previously have been
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