After the first major dig at Stonehenge in 44 years, British researchers think they have solved the mystery of why ancient Britons transported massive rocks 250 miles from Wales to Salisbury Plain to construct the massive but enigmatic Stonehenge monument: They believed the stones possessed healing powers.
BBC News
For centuries, archaeologists have marvelled at the construction of Stonehenge, which lies on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire.
Mineral analysis indicates that the original circle of bluestones was transported to the plain from a site 240km (150 miles) away, in the Preseli hills, South Wales.
This extraordinary feat suggests the stones were thought to harbour great powers.
Professors Darvill and Wainwright believe that Stonehenge was a centre of healing - a "Neolithic Lourdes", to which the sick and injured travelled from far and wide, to be healed by the powers of the bluestones.
Full Story
Timewatch the BBC series covered the dig and subsequent discoveries. Fascinating indepth articles and video can be found here.
Related Websites
Stonehenge - Your Guide to Stonehenge
English Heritage
Related Publications
Stonehenge by Rosemary Hill
Where Echoes Meet: Nine Lives Changed by Lourdes by Catherine Simon
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