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Bronze age Britains were a circle happy people. Stonehenge was but one, albeit the largest by a wide margin, of circular stone formations which have been found in various states of ruin. In addition to the stone circles, many times more wooden circles were constructed all over the island.
True.
Did you know that just two miles north east of Stonehenge there is a neolithic era Woodhenge?
Sorry, I cannot recall coming across any mentions of an enclosing structure apart from the 30 vertical stones and capstones which once formed its outer perimeter. It was semi enclosed in that the support pillars leave a space near the bottom which isn't wide enough for anything larger than a cat to pass through, but are tapered as they rise leaving several feet between them at the tops. There were entrances on either side.
Bronze age Britains were a circle happy people. Stonehenge was but one, albeit the largest by a wide margin, of circular stone formations which have been found in various states of ruin. In addition to the stone circles, many times more wooden circles were constructed all over the island. Since these folks left no written records of any sort, we are left guessing at the meaning and significance of these circles. I think it most likely that they had to have been associated with some sort of sun worship since Stonehenge was set up to serve as a calendar with shadows marking solstices and equinoxes. It had to be more than just that last function since the same purpose could have been served by wooden stakes without the immense amount of labor that went into dragging and erecting those stones.
I have to think there was a religious purpose to it. Afterall, it's not as if humanity has suddenly stopped "dragging stones" into precise piles and shapes in order to express our devotion and wonder with our God(s).
PS Sorry, but I just couldn't resist tossing the Ancient Aliens guy into this thread, lol.
Sorry, I cannot recall coming across any mentions of an enclosing structure apart from the 30 vertical stones and capstones which once formed its outer perimeter. It was semi enclosed in that the support pillars leave a space near the bottom which isn't wide enough for anything larger than a cat to pass through, but are tapered as they rise leaving several feet between them at the tops. There were entrances on either side.
Bronze age Britains were a circle happy people. Stonehenge was but one, albeit the largest by a wide margin, of circular stone formations which have been found in various states of ruin. In addition to the stone circles, many times more wooden circles were constructed all over the island. Since these folks left no written records of any sort, we are left guessing at the meaning and significance of these circles. I think it most likely that they had to have been associated with some sort of sun worship since Stonehenge was set up to serve as a calendar with shadows marking solstices and equinoxes. It had to be more than just that last function since the same purpose could have been served by wooden stakes without the immense amount of labor that went into dragging and erecting those stones.
Those involved with Brit history tend to be so stuck in the mud, social classism, and egocentric behavior that the can't see beyond stuck-up noses. That shows in the video.
While the exact structure Bedlam proposes might not be correct, the CONCEPT makes an elegant sense. Large circular structures have stresses that are fairly consistent in all directions. We know that many of the early Gothic churches failed structurally because of mishandling of stresses. We also know the flying buttress which is characteristic of Gothic architecture occurred more in northern European architecture than Romanesque. The flying buttress idea was likely engrained in northern European culture.
If you remember the Roman Colosseum, it had shade cloth partly covering it. Would a structure at or over Stonehenge be all wood like Bedlam proposes, or could portions of it have been fabric? Sailcloth has been around for centuries.
IMHO, during the heyday of use, it may have looked more like a giant colorful circus tent than a ring of stones. I don't believe the theory that it was JUST a circle of stones any more than I believe aliens dropped them in place. It has characteristics that are much more like those of a skeleton or framework than a finished architecture.
Bronze age Britains were a circle happy people. Stonehenge was but one, albeit the largest by a wide margin, of circular stone formations which have been found in various states of ruin. In addition to the stone circles, many times more wooden circles were constructed all over the island. Since these folks left no written records of any sort, we are left guessing at the meaning and significance of these circles. I think it most likely that they had to have been associated with some sort of sun worship since Stonehenge was set up to serve as a calendar with shadows marking solstices and equinoxes. It had to be more than just that last function since the same purpose could have been served by wooden stakes without the immense amount of labor that went into dragging and erecting those stones.
In ancient times, hundreds of years before the dawn of history.
There lived a strange race of people...the Druids.
No one knows who they were, or what they were doing.
But their legacy remains...
Hewn into the living rock of Stonehenge...
Stonehenge, where the demons dwell--where the banshees live and they do live well.
Stonehenge, where a man is a man and the children dance to the pipes of pan...
In ancient times, hundreds of years before the dawn of history.
There lived a strange race of people...the Druids.
No one knows who they were, or what they were doing.
But their legacy remains...
Hewn into the living rock of Stonehenge...
Stonehenge, where the demons dwell--where the banshees live and they do live well.
Stonehenge, where a man is a man and the children dance to the pipes of pan...
Quote:
I do not, for one, think that the problem was that the band was down. I think that the problem *may* have been, that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being *crushed* by a *dwarf*. Alright? That tended to understate the hugeness of the object.
I have to think there was a religious purpose to it. Afterall, it's not as if humanity has suddenly stopped "dragging stones" into precise piles and shapes in order to express our devotion and wonder with our God(s).
.
When the ancients undertook some enormous public building project, it was typically motivated by their theological superstitions. Pharohs were gods and deserved spectacular palaces for their eternity in the afterlife, thus the pyramids. The Colossus of Rhodes was built to thank their god Helios for delivering them from a siege. Hundreds of years before Rome built the forum, the Senate or the Coliseum, they built the spectacular Temple of Jupiter on Capitoline Hill. Of the seven wonders of the ancient worlds, only two were built for reasons unrelated to religion. (Gardens of Babylon and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. That last replaced the Gates of Ishtar on the list, a monument dedicated to the Babylonian godess Ishtar.)
In the middle ages, the most spectacular and elaborate buildings throughout Europe were always the cathedrals. By then the religious motives were somewhat diluted by economic ones. Cathedrals were money makers, drawing pilgrims from far away which allowed the towns to set up markets to exploit the dynamic.
Those involved with Brit history tend to be so stuck in the mud, social classism, and egocentric behavior that the can't see beyond stuck-up noses. That shows in the video.
While the exact structure Bedlam proposes might not be correct, the CONCEPT makes an elegant sense. Large circular structures have stresses that are fairly consistent in all directions. We know that many of the early Gothic churches failed structurally because of mishandling of stresses. We also know the flying buttress which is characteristic of Gothic architecture occurred more in northern European architecture than Romanesque. The flying buttress idea was likely engrained in northern European culture.
If you remember the Roman Colosseum, it had shade cloth partly covering it. Would a structure at or over Stonehenge be all wood like Bedlam proposes, or could portions of it have been fabric? Sailcloth has been around for centuries.
IMHO, during the heyday of use, it may have looked more like a giant colorful circus tent than a ring of stones. I don't believe the theory that it was JUST a circle of stones any more than I believe aliens dropped them in place. It has characteristics that are much more like those of a skeleton or framework than a finished architecture.
That was interesting. As to the validity of the theory, I am in no position to support or deny it, it seems as plausible as any other explanation. Of course the gap between "could have been" and "definitely was" remains in play.
That was interesting. As to the validity of the theory, I am in no position to support or deny it, it seems as plausible as any other explanation. Of course the gap between "could have been" and "definitely was" remains in play.
Neither am I. I agree it is only a theory, but one that has a lot more going for it as far as I am concerned than some others I have seen. It would be pretty interesting to be able to go back and time and take a look at it back then.
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