Stunning Prehistoric Stonehenge Wiltshire England
by Wayne Moran
Title
Stunning Prehistoric Stonehenge Wiltshire England
Artist
Wayne Moran
Medium
Photograph - Fine Art Photography
Description
Stunning Prehistoric Stonehenge Wiltshire England
Stonehenge, prehistoric stone circle monument, cemetery, and archaeological site located on Salisbury Plain, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Though there is no definite evidence as to the intended purpose of Stonehenge, it was presumably a religious site and an expression of the power and wealth of the chieftains, aristocrats, and priests who had it built—many of whom were buried in the numerous barrows close by. It was aligned on the Sun and possibly used for observing the Sun and Moon and working out the farming calendar. Or perhaps the site was dedicated to the world of the ancestors, separated from the world of the living, or was a healing centre. Whether it was used by the Druids (Celtic priests) is doubtful, but present-day Druids gather there every year to hail the midsummer sunrise. Looking toward the sunrise, the entrance in the northeast points over a big pillar, now leaning at an angle, called the Heel Stone. Looking the other way, it points to the midwinter sunset. The summer solstice is also celebrated there by huge crowds of visitors.
Stonehenge was built in six stages between 3000 and 1520 BCE, during the transition from the Neolithic Period (New Stone Age) to the Bronze Age. As a prehistoric stone circle, it is unique because of its artificially shaped sarsen stones (blocks of Cenozoic silcrete), arranged in post-and-lintel formation, and because of the remote origin of its smaller bluestones (igneous and other rocks) from 100–150 miles (160–240 km) away, in South Wales. The name of the monument probably derives from the Saxon stan-hengen, meaning “stone hanging” or “gallows.” Along with more than 350 nearby monuments and henges (ancient earthworks consisting of a circular bank and ditch), including the kindred temple complex at Avebury, Stonehenge was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.
https://waynemoranphotography.com/blog/your-best-itinerary-to-see-the-most-of-england/
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January 12th, 2023
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Comments (19)
Lesley Wood
Beautiful image of Stonehenge and the surrounding Wiltshire countryside. I was born in Ilchester, Somerset which is not too far away from Avebury. My family emigrated to the United States in the late 1960's as my dad took an aviation engineering position at Boeing. My Godmother lived in Sherborne, and I visited Stonehenge while a young college student in 1984 with her. They had low, black iron fencing surrounding the perimeter of the stones and security. You could only get so close to the stones, but, of course no touching as in previous decades and centuries.
Mary Lynn Giacomini
Beautiful light, colors, and clarity in this stunning landscape Wayne! I love this perfect exposure! LF
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