Stonehenge :: essays research papers

In the hill country of northern England, many sites of St integrityhenge exist. Approximately 150 to ccenormous stones lie stacked on top of each other forming somewhat of an altar. Tall stones standupright surrounding the center stone which is bluestone. This is hostile the sandstone columnswhich surround it. This may not seem unusual at first however, there are three main factors thatmake Stonehenge extremely odd. Each of these stones weigh close to 4 tons. There are also noother stones in a radius of 15 miles. With todays sophisticated equipment the go of these enlarged stones would not be difficult, but one must remember, Stonehenge was built approximately4800 B.C. Radiocarbon dating shows that these stone structures are older than the greatpyramids of Egypt, and the large cities of Rome. Of course Stonehenge is not as advanced as thegreat pyramids but it was built in an area which wasnt as advanced as the Egyptians or Romans.The outside stones are made completely of sandston e, this is at least 18 miles from thesite where the sandstone was quarried from. Each stone stands upright and are expertlybalance. Stones of the same formation and size, rest on top forming a circular structure. In themiddle of these stones, giant pieces of bluestone repose on the ground in horse shoe akin shapes. These stones are also called spotted dolorite, and are not found within a 225 mile radius. In thevery center, a piece of Welsh sandstone lay as a monument. One of the most interesting facts about Stonehenge is that it is perfectly lined up with thewinter (December 21) and summer (June 21) solstices. This is when the beginning of summer andwinter when the mans axis changes. As the sun rises over the horizon on those two days, itsrays go through a small hole in one of the rocks. The alignment is perfect. The other significantcharacteristic of these prehistoric masterpieces, is that absolutely no mortar or cement existsthroughout the entire structure. These huge stones l ay balanced on top of each other with no glueor substance to hold them together. The only thing that stops these gargantuan stones from fallingis a simple system of joints. Originally these structures were thought to be circles. In fact, manypeople still think they are circular however, they are not. Some acquit flattened sides, some are hexagonal and some are elliptical. This is not easy to see with the naked eye which is why so