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Scientists claim to have solved the mystery of Stonehenge’s location
Archaeologists who have been undertaking excavation work in the surrounding area of Stonehenge have claimed to have solved the mystery as to why the large circle of standing stones was constructed in the position it is in. However, it seems rather premature to be popping open the champagne bottles just yet as the evidence is far from conclusive.
The team of scientists working in Amesbury, a short distance from where the landmarks sits on a hillside, believe the discovery of a ‘warm’ water spring provides all the answers they were looking for. It is claimed that Ice Age man was drawn to the nearby pools which never froze over and settled in the area to have access to the water.
The pools are fed by a spring which keeps the water at a constant 11 degrees, even in winter. Scientists visited the area in minus ten degree temperatures and found that the pools had not frozen over.
“The belief has always been that Stonehenge would not have been built here without there being something special about the area, said Andy Rhind-Tutt, chairman of the Amesbury Museum and Heritage Trust. “We believe the answer lies in the springs which feed the River Avon.”
The reason for Stonehenge’s location has remained one of the great unsolved mysteries of British prehistory, with no one theory accepted as correct. While the latest finding is interesting, it certainly appears too superficial to explain all the other evidence relating to Stonehenge’s location – were the warm springs a big enough motivation for Mesolithic settlers to drag megalithic blocks over 240 kilometres? Is the fact that it sits perfectly on a solstice axis now considered insignificant?
Hopefully scientists don’t believe this research is enough to close the file on the mysteries of Stonehenge.
By April Holloway (http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/scientists-claim-have-solved-mystery-stonehenge-s-location-00952)
Join a guided tour from Salisbury and learn more.
The Stonehenge Travel and Tour Company, Salisbury Wiltshire
New pre-historic galleries at Wiltshire Museum, Devizes
The Wiltshire Museum in Devizes has just opened 4 new fantastic pre-historic galleries following a £750,000 project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, Wiltshire Council, the North Wessex Downs Area of Natural Beauty and other sources.
For the first time for many years some of the “crown jewels” of Stonehenge can be viewed in state of the art exhibition cases. It includes the largest collection of Early Bronze Age gold ever put on public display in England.
David Dawson, Director of Wiltshire Museum said: “Devizes is mid-way between two of the world’s most important ancient monuments – the great prehistoric stone circles of Stonehenge and Avebury. Visiting the Wiltshire Museum completes the experience of seeing these two iconic sites.
A visit to the Wiltshire Museum is essential to really understand the rich history of the WHS and life in the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age.
You can read about the new galleries here.
Stonehenge visitor centre opens on 18 December and the new interpretation gallery features loans from Wiltshire Museum.
The Salisbury Museum opens its newly refurbished prehistoric galleries in Spring 2014.
Links: http://www.stonehengeandaveburywhs.org/new-galleries-at-wiltshire-museum-devizes/
Links: http://www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/news/?Action=8&id=163&home=1
Our guided tours from Salisbury will be including this fascinating museum in 2014.
Stonehenge Guided Tours, Salisbury
Opening date announced for new Stonehenge facilities
English Heritage has announced that new visitor facilities at Stonehenge will open to the public on 18th December 2013, accompanied by a host of group travel benefits.
New exhibitions and a visitor centre
Highlights of the attraction include a new visitor centre housing permanent and temporary exhibitions featuring a ‘Stone Circle’ which visitors can stand inside to experience a virtual solstice. You can also discover some of the theories around the origins of the monument and see some of its archaeological finds displayed on site for the first time.
There is a shop, café with seating for up to 260 people, plus an external exhibition featuring a cluster of Neolithic houses which will be built from January 2014 and completed by Easter.
Frequent visitor shuttle service, able to carry 850 visitors an hour to the Stone Circle, is available, and there is also one stop en route so that visitors can opt to walk part of the way if they wish through the ancient archaeological landscape surrounding the monument.
Group booking information
A Stonehenge-only booking line (exclusively for group travel organisers and tour operators to use) will open on 1st October. Pre-booked timed tickets will be required for all groups of 11 or more, with a ten per cent discount plus free entry for organisers.
Organisers will find dedicated parking for up to 30 coaches, with a drop-off bay outside a group’s reception building, where you can collect pre-printed tickets and free audio tours in ten languages.
For further group travel information contact:
0870-333 0604 http://www.english-heritage.org.uk
The Stonehenge Travel Company
Salisbury, Wiltshre
Stonehenge and Salisbury Guided Tours 