2. Who Built Stonehenge? Quite a few theories on who built Stonehenge. John Aubrey thought that The Druids built Stonehenge. His theory wasn’t correct Still a mystery

3. What Is The Purpose Of Stonehenge? Nobody knows the real purpose-used later on for burials. Geoffrey of Monmouth, 12th century writer, wrote a theory on why Stonehenge was built. Memorial for murdered noblemen King and Merlin led expedition to Ireland to transport Giant’s Ring stone circle to Britain. Giant’s Ring originally brought from Africa for healing powers. Brought from Africa to Ireland by Giants. Britons were unsuccessful moving the stones. Merlin used magic to move stones. Stones were moved to Britain to be assembled for the memorial of the murdered noblemen.

4. More Theories Mike Parker Pearson, head of Stonehenge Riverside Project, thought that Durrington Walls Henge was a place for the living, Stonehenge was a place for the dead. Folk tale: Devil bought stones from Irish lady. He placed them on Salisbury Plain. Goal: Nobody would know who or what put the stones there.

5. Construction of Stonehenge Required a lot of time, commitment, and manual labor. Constructed into 3 sections: Stonehenge phase 1, Stonehenge phase 2, Stonehenge phase 3. Some argue that Stonehenge phase 3 had 5 stages itself.

6. Stonehenge Phase One Bank and ditch arrangement called a henge. Constructed 5,000 years ago. Ditch was continuous but dug in sections with deer antlers. Circle is 320 ft. in diameter; ditch itself was 20 ft. wide and 7 ft. deep. Builders might have buried picks after this stage. Used rubble to build steep bank circle. Dug 56 shallow holes, Aubrey Holes 2 parallel stones erected at entrance. Used for 500 years and abandoned.

7. Stonehenge Phase 2 Bluestones were assembled within original bank & ditch circles. 2 interesting things: bluestones came from Preseli Mts.-250 miles away. 80 Stones each weighing 4 tons. Entrance of Bluestones is aligned with midsummer sunrise. Phase left abandoned unfinished, small stones removed & holes filled.

8. Stonehenge Phase 3 Part 1 Phase 3 is seen today. Circle of upright sarsen stones, each pair with a stone on top. Originally 30 stones, only 17 now. Stones came from a town 20 miles away, 7 ft. tall & weigh 50 tons each. Surface smoothed with hammers. Formation of horseshoe erected. Used 10 stones, 8 still there. Aligns with summer solstice sunrise.

9. Stonehenge Phase 3 Part 2 100 yrs. Later, 20 bluestones came from phase 2, placed inside horseshoe. Alter Stone is the biggest remaining stone. Images of dagger & 14 axe heads carved on stones. Last known construction was 1600 B.C. Last usage during Iron Age.