The strange origins of Stonehenge’s giant sarsen stones have actually lastly been revealed.

A sample of one of the megaliths taken by an upkeep employee in 1958 has actually exposed the 20- tonne stones come from West Woods – simply 15 miles away from the website, near Marlborough.

Robert Phillips worked for a Basingstoke-based diamond cutting business that was used to enhance one of the upright stones with metal rods more than 60 years earlier.

While he was working there, he took a core sample and kept it for himself – taking it with him when he emigrated to the United States.

It remained there mostly unidentified for 6 years prior to he revealed a want it to be gone back to the UK on the eve of his 90 th birthday.

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The core sample was eliminated throughout upkeep operate in 1958

Professionals have actually long presumed the sarsens came from the Marlborough Downs, however might never ever be particular.

Now the sample has actually been returned, non-destructive X-ray tests have actually traced them back to West Woods, according to a research study released in the journal Science Advances.

The core was cut up and tested for its chemical structure and compared to samples of sarsen stones in 20 locations extending from Devon to Norfolk, consisting of 6 in the Marlborough Downs to the north of Stonehenge

The analysis concludes that stone 58 – which the core was taken from – and for that reason the bulk of the sarsens, were primarily most likely from around 15 miles north of the stone circle on the edge of the downs.

English Heritage’s Susan Greaney stated it was a “real thrill” to find the location that the contractors of Stonehenge sourced their products from in 2500 BC.

She added: “We can now state, when sourcing the sarsens, the bypassing goal was size – they desired the greatest, most significant stones they might discover and it made good sense to get them from as neighboring as possible.

” Now we can start to comprehend the path they may have taken a trip and add another piece to the puzzle.”

Teacher David Nash, of the University of Brighton, who led the research study, thanked the Phillips family for returning the sample.

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Professionals have actually traced the sarsens to a website simply 15 miles away

The word sarsen, utilized to explain the bigger stones that form the shape of Stonehenge, is thought to come from from Saracen – a term utilized to explain an Arab or Muslim individual around the time of the Crusades – however later on went on to describe anything non-Christian.

Stonehenge has actually long been related to Pagan routines and hosts solstice and equinox occasions every year.

This year 3.6 million people tuned in to a livestream of summer season solstice while the website was closed due to coronavirus constraints.

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