Bluestonehenge

Bluestonehenge is a prehistoric henge and stone circle near Stonehenge in Wiltshire. It lies beside the River Avon, about one mile south-east of the famous stone circle. All that remains today is a ditch and buried stone settings, with no visible stones above ground. The site was uncovered during the Stonehenge Riverside Project, led by archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson. Excavations in 2008 and 2009 revealed traces of bluestones, giving the site its name. Unlike Stonehenge, this henge has no clear solar or lunar alignments. The monument dates from between 3000 and 2400 BC, with evidence suggesting it once held up to 27 stones in a circle about ten metres wide. Radiocarbon dating of antler tools points to the stones being removed around 2500 BC and taken to Stonehenge. The bluestones came from Pembrokeshire in west Wales, over 240 kilometres away. Excavations found charcoal in some holes, hinting at possible cremations. Over 200 cremation burials have been found near Stonehenge, supporting the idea that this was a ceremonial route. The henge sits beside a ceremonial route called the Avenue, which leads to Stonehenge. Mike Parker Pearson suggests it may have been a stopping place between Durrington Walls and Stonehenge. The site is surrounded by a ditch and bank about 25 metres wide, dating from around 2400 BC. The bluestones’ original bases left imprints in the ground, matching those at Stonehenge. This small but significant site offers a glimpse into the rituals and movements of people in prehistoric Britain.