Sunday, October 11, 2009

"Bluehenge" Could Be Funeral Site


A prehistoric stone circle found close to Stonehenge in southwest England may provide proof that the historic monument was actually part of a large funeral complex. This second stone circle has been labeled "Bluehenge" because it was built of blue stones, and was originally located next to the River Avon. Its discovery will offer evidence to the theory that Stonehenge and Bluehenge formed a "domain of the dead" connected by the Avon. Afterall, Stonehenge was Britain's largest burial ground at the time. There are several theories explaining the purpose of Bluehenge in this "domain". Some say there was a processional walk going from Bluehenge to the prehistoric cemetary at Stonehenge, while others believe that people were cremated at Bluehenge, and then actually buried at Stonehenge itself. Althought there are several different beliefs as to what exactly the monuments exact purposes were, it is agreed that the area around Bluehenge and Stonehenge was, indeed, used as a funeral site.
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/10/07/blue-stonehenge.html

-Kori B, Period 3

2 comments:

Sara said...

How interesting. I knew that Stonehenge was thought to be a religious site, but I never realized it could be a funeral site. I wonder if there are bodies buried there.

Unknown said...

That's very interesting, i never know there were two different
Stonehenges and that one of them was possibly used as a funeral site. I wonder what the significance was of having a complex funeral ground with the large stones arranged the way they are. It appears that this is not coincidental in regards to the stones' arrangement.