Why Build Stonehenge?
Temple, Burial Ground, Observatory, or Ancient Calendar
Was it a temple, burial ground, observatory, or an ancient calendar?
Stonehenge was built in several stages over a period of 1,500 years. Part of the site was dismantled, only to be repositioned at a later date. If we assume that humans make time for the things that are important to them, then we can conclude from the time and effort put into construction at Stonehenge that this site was very important to the ancient people who built it. But what was it for, exactly?
Here are some possibilities:
A 17th-century architect named Inigo Jones thought Stonehenge was a Roman temple. By the time the 18th and 19th centuries rolled along, popular opinion had changed - Stonehenge was thought to be a Druid temple for sun-worship. (The problem with this theory is that Stonehenge was finished 1,000 years before the Druids came to prominence.
Who Were the Druids?
The Druids were a group of priests who trained for a period of up to 20 years to prepare for their roles as guardians of sacred lore. They were responsible for the administration of justice and were advisors to the rulers of Britain, Ireland, and France.
The word "Druid" is a Celtic word which means "knowing the oak tree". It refers to the fact that ceremonies were conducted in wooded areas by priests wearing white robes. They worshipped several gods and goddesses and practised both animal and human sacrifice.
Burial Ground?
Archaeologists have put forward the theory that Stonehenge was a ceremonial burial ground. Cremated remains have been found in many of the Aubrey Holes; the holes were dug before the cremations would have taken place,though.
The Aubrey Holes may have originally been dug for the purpose of making a liquid offering to the gods of nature (ritual libations). The stone circles were, therefore, a kind of temple.
The discovery of cremated remains at the site would seem to indicate that funerals were performed there. The Aubrey Holes may have represented portals to the Underworld.
Observatory or Ancient Calendar?
Another theory is that Stonehenge was a type of observatory, but it could also have been used to chart celestial movements for a basic calendar or for religious purposes.
The stones are aligned in such as way as to provide sight lines for the sun and the moon on certain dates; most notably, the summer and winter solstices. The 30 Y and 29 Z Holes may have been used by priests to count alternate months.
British author John Mitchell has suggested that Stonehenge was "a cosmic temple dedicated to all twelve gods of the zodiac. It represents the ideal cosmology, the perfect and complete image of the universe".
And that seems as good an explanation as any for this feat of engineering and construction that continues to fascinate us to this day.
