The iconic Stonehenge, long admired for its mystery and grandeur, has just become even more enigmatic. For over a century, scholars believed that many of the monument’s stones hailed from Wales, transported some 125 miles to their final resting place on Salisbury Plain. However, a groundbreaking new study reveals that the central altar stone has origins far beyond Wales—in the northeastern reaches of Scotland, over 466 miles away.
The study, published in Nature, suggests that the stone may have come from as far as present-day Inverness or even the Orkney Islands. According to Rob Ixer, an honorary senior research fellow at University College London and one of the study’s authors, “It doesn’t just alter what we think about Stonehenge; it alters what we think about the whole of the late Neolithic.
An Astonishing Discovery
The altar stone, a massive 16-foot-long sandstone block, has always been an outlier among Stonehenge’s megaliths. Previously believed to be sourced from Wales, the stone’s unique geological makeup prompted scientists to reexamine its origins. The research team, a collaboration between several universities, used advanced techniques to analyze the stone’s chemical composition.
The results were startling: The stone’s “age fingerprint” was a perfect match for the Orcadian Basin in northeast Scotland. The revelation that such a significant stone could have traveled such a vast distance offers entirely new insights into the complex web of Neolithic connections across the British Isles.
A Monumental Feat Of Transportation
One of the most intriguing questions raised by this discovery is how Neolithic builders managed to transport the six-ton altar stone from Scotland to southern England. Two primary theories have emerged. Some experts, like Anthony Clarke of Curtin University, suggest that marine transport played a role in navigating the stone along the coastlines.
However, Mike Pitts, an independent archaeologist and author, leans toward an overland journey. He argues that such a trek, though arduous, would have allowed the stone to gain symbolic significance as it passed through various communities.
Regardless of the method, the logistics of moving such a colossal stone over hundreds of miles are staggering. This discovery reshapes our understanding of the Neolithic era, highlighting a level of interregional connection and collaboration that historians are only beginning to grasp.
Rewriting Neolithic History
Stonehenge has always been a symbol of ancient ingenuity, but the realization that its stones came from such a distant and diverse area suggests that Neolithic Britain was far more interconnected than previously thought. The idea that communities from Scotland, Wales, and southern England collaborated—or at least shared resources—challenges longstanding notions of prehistoric isolation.
The altar stone’s Scottish roots have opened a new chapter in the story of Stonehenge, offering fresh perspectives on the monument’s construction and the people who built it.
Resources:
English Heritage: Stonehenge
Britannica: Stonehenge
Nature: A Scottish provenance for the Altar Stone of Stonehenge
References:
The Guardian: Stonehenge megalith came from Scotland, not Wales, ‘jaw-dropping’ study finds
Apollo Magazine: Stonehenge megalith transported from Scotland, not Wales, study finds
Euronews: Shock as study shows famous Stonehenge Altar Stone came from Scotland, not Wales