#bluestones

[aslamat]

Stonehenge Mysteries: Men, Mystery, and a Marvel of a Monument

Stonehenge is a megalith organized on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, and like all ancient monuments, it has been fascinating for centuries. The construction of the pillars that form the ceiling is thought to be so tall and symbolic that it creates curiosity. Though the available knowledge regarding Stonehenge remains unbiased, several issues are still mired in controversy. This typical blog post focuses on Stonehenge mainly in terms of the purpose of its construction, the methods used in construction, and the celestial purpose that was assigned to the stone circle.

The Purpose of Stonehenge

Arguably, one of the most frequently asked questions about Stonehenge is about the monument’s function. There are a number of theories that, when examined, are proffered with much rationale as to why they should be accepted.

A Ceremonial Site

Due to its construction complexity and its specific layout, Stonehenge was expected to be used ceremonially. This indicates that it was used in religious observances since it has an alignment with the sun solstices of the summers and winters. The main structure of the Heel Stone was placed to align itself with the sun rise on the summer solstice, which suggests solar cult or agricultural rituals.

A Burial Ground

A study carried out on human bones pulled from various digs in and around Stonehenge suggests that it served as the burial place of individuals. Cremated remains were observed at the site, indicating that it was one of the important burial grounds for the elites or people of higher rank in that period and was in use as early as 3000 BC. But this theory fits with the belief that Stonehenge was built as a shrine for ancestor spirits.

A Healing Center

There are theories that certain elements of the monument, as well as the placement of Stonehenge as a whole, were intended to allow for this. A couple of skeletons bearing marks of diseases and wounds that may have been fatal imply that those in ailing states could trek to the shrine with the hope of being healed. The bluestones used in the construction of the circle were believed to have healing virtues, and these originated in Wales.

An Astronomical Observatory

One of the dominant theories is that the grand monument was an ancient observatory, and the stones were aligned with specific stars. This is consistent with the idea since the precise laying down of stones correlates with the occurrence of solstices and equinoxes. It could have probably been utilized in the prediction of astronomy, which helped in agriculture and the scheduling of religious ceremonies.

The Construction of Stonehenge

Historians and archaeologists have marveled at the creation of Stonehenge, which is a circle of stones. No technology was available, and yet it was quite intriguing how the prehistoric people moved and set up those large stones.

Transporting the stones

Stonehenge consists of two types of stones: sarsen stones and bluestones of the neolithic period from western Asia and Europe, respectively. The giant sarsen stones, which each weigh up to 25 tons, may have come from the Marlborough Downs, located 32 kilometers away. These were the smaller bluestones that could weigh up to 4 tons and were transported from Preseli Hills in Wales, more than 240 km away.

Earlier, it was assumed that the construction was transported using sledges and rollers, and later through water bodies. Such an immense operation would have necessitated proper planning in terms of human labor and advanced engineering.

Erecting the Stones

Even when the stones were on site, another problem arose as to how best to put them up or raise them. Currently, ancient writers have posited that prehistoric builders employed a system of earth ramps and wooden beams to lift the construction pieces and maneuver them to their appropriate positions. The lintels, or horizontal stones, were fitted and locked in position through the use of mortise and tenon joints, a sign of the high technicality that had been attained.

Precision and planning

Because there are only megaliths arranged in a circular fashion within the walls of Stonehenge, constructing the monument was a highly precise undertaking that needed careful planning as well as knowledge of geometry and astronomy. They are arranged neatly in a cyclic fashion, and several of them are oriented in specific positions depending on the rightful rites associated with stars. The sophistication of the measurements and the accuracy of the alignments show the builders must have been skilled people with knowledge.

Celestial Alignments

Another interesting historical fact about Stonehenge is that the construction of the circle was to have some kind of correlation with some astronomical phenomena. The feature has had people believing that it was used for astronomical purposes since it was created.

Solstices and Equinoxes

Arising from the above, it can be well argued that Stonehenge was well-aligned to create a solar calendar with shadow markers that pointed directly to the summer and winter solstices. As such, during the summer solstice, the sun reverses its position over the Heel Stone, rises directly at the monument, and provides a shadow through the heart of the stones. This formation can be observed during the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice, when the sun sets in the direction of the Altar Stone. Such alignments indicate that Stonehenge wanted to signify the change of seasons, something that was indeed important in civilizations that dealt with farming.

Lunar Alignments

However, it is not only solar alignments that have been associated with Stonehenge; lunar relationships are evident as well. Some stones are oriented north-south, east-west, and large stones lie parallel to the moon; the builders may have monitored the lunar cycle. It could have been used to estimate eclipses of the moon or some other event, and this has been achieved when its current facet aligns with a past instance.

When can Stonehenge be crowned as having the enduring mystique of Stonehenge?

Nonetheless, the mystery enveloping Stonehenge remains intact since there are countless theories developed by researchers, but the monument still has many secrets. The intent behind its creation, the architectural techniques used in building it, and the connection with astronomy continue to be the objects of discussion and wonder. These monuments oppose the question of historical relevance by holding immense aesthetic and cognitive appeal for multi-generational scrutiny.

Stonehenge is not just a set of stones set together; it is a dynamically creative structure erected by our forefathers. This alignment with the stars, together with the effort that went into the construction of the monument, shows how the value system of paleolithic people pegged heavily on the physical environment.

It does make you think that as people carry on digging around Stonehenge and researching it, will more features and facts surrounding the monument be revealed? Nevertheless, the true purpose of Stonehenge can be explained only in riddles, and a shadow of it is still being whispered to inspire and amaze people around the world, all the while making them think about our ancestors’ genius in the field of architecture.

Thus, having analyzed the mysteries of Stonehenge, we opine that it is beneficial to get closer to understanding the achievements of the ancestors. If, indeed, Stonehenge functioned as a meeting place for the elite to conduct rituals, an emplacement for burying the dead, a sanctuary to solicit healing from gods, or a site to conduct an astronomical calendar, it remains today as a testament to mankind’s wisdom and efforts to learn about the world.

[ohnonotstonehenge]

This is a photo I took at Craig Rhos Y Felin, an outcropping in Pembrokeshire, Wales where some of the bluestones of Stonehenge may have originated.

[mildlyinterestingadventures]

Rustic Landscape in Vancouver This is an illustration of a small, stone garden path in a front yard that receives full sun.

[cryblo]

Rustic Landscape in Vancouver

This is an illustration of a small, stone garden path in a front yard that receives full sun.

[crunch-barr]

post the kevin pledge of allegiance that you posted on instagram please please please please please i need to share it and nobody on my instagram has read it please please pleSe

BRO THINKS HE’S ON THE TEAM!

[pacificnorthwestessences]

Blue is a color that is often associated with calmness, tranquility, freedom, and openness. It is associated with the throat chakra, the center of communication and expression, and many of the essences we make from blue flowers and gems offer a soothing energy that can help us to feel more at ease with ourseleves and others. The soft blue gem celestite has an angelic, dreamy energy that many people find deeply comforting and relaxing. Celestite essence is helpful for easing deep-seated pain, guilt, or sorrow, and helping us to move toward forgiveness of ourselves and others. Borage is a vibrant blue flower that many herbalists turn to for emotional resiliency. It can help lift a negative outlook, a heaviness of spirit, or a tendency toward depression. Blue cornflower, similarly, invites a sense of ease and comfort. Blue cornflower essence can help strengthen our self-confidence and diminish feelings of social anxiety or inadequacy, and its relation to the fifth chakra means that it also eases the way toward communication and openness with others. #blueflowers #bluestones #bluegems #blueplants #throatchakra #fifthchakra #celestite #borage #bluecornflower #floweressences #gemessences #essencehealing #chakrahealing #tranquility #findingcalm https://www.instagram.com/p/CnMvrrUraq2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sandushengshou]

Wang Zhuocheng | Divine Destiny ↳ A god and his emotional support rock

[aylameridiandrawsstuff]

I clearly have a thing for landscapes featuring giant crystals...

This place is called the Bluestone Desert, or Yarezel, by its inhabitants. I sort of accidentally made a conlang for it... this is a spell to call a westerly wind in the language of the Yarerin (the people of the bluestone desert):

[theygotlost]

⚡🪨 SEX, DRUGS, AND MUSIC WITH ROCKS IN IT!!!! 🪨⚡

[ancientstuff]

This is just about the coolest thing I've read all year.

[skrankku]

The truth is out there, Matt!

[ohnonotstonehenge]

Anything interesting about the rocks themselves, geologically?

A model of Stonehenge showing how it is thought to have looked when complete (if it was ever completed but that's another conversation) The big stones are the sarsens and the small ones are the bluestones. The geology of the rocks at Stonehenge is a huge subject and some research is still ongoing. I can tell you that the big stones, the ones most people think of when they imagine Stonehenge, are called sarsens, a local name. Sarsens appear in "drifts" on the chalk land that underlies that part of England. The sarsens are a kind of sandstone with a high amount of silica in them so if you find a newly broken or cut one it will have shiny bits in it. But of course the ones at Stonehenge were cut and shaped long ago and are covered with lichens and a dull patina. Until recently the source of the sarsens wasn't certain, although they knew they weren't from far away, but not that long ago the son of an engineer who had extracted a core from one of them long ago returned that core to English Heritage who are in charge of the stones. The core was tested and analyzed and it was determined that almost all of the 52 sarsens at Stonehenge were brought from an area called West Woods near Marlborough, about 15 miles north. Quite an enterprise 4500 years ago even to bring one 20 ton stone that far and they brought 50+. But the big stones aren't even one third of the stones at Stonehenge and the rest of the story is much more complex. People toss around the term bluestone for many of the smaller stones at Stonehenge but that isn't a geological term and the bluestones are different kinds of stone, mostly rhyolite and spotted dolerite. The closest geological matches for many of these are in outcroppings in western Wales. How they got to Salisbury Plain is contested. Most theorists believe they were brought there for some reason through enormous effort by the builders but there's one fellow in particular who bangs on and on about them having been brought from Wales by glaciers. I find myself hoping he's wrong just because he is unkind about other researchers and well, just generally annoying, but that's no way to do science, haha, and until proof is found one way or another we don't actually know.

There are other stones too, like the heel stone and the so-called slaughter stone, called that because it is flat and the hollows in it look red when they fill with water because of the iron oxide in the stone. There is nothing to indicate that human sacrifice was ever practiced there. That was just the kind of thing people liked to imagine in the Romantic Era and it stuck. For further information on the stones themselves I will refer you to a blog that numbers the stones and talks about each stone and the types of stones : The Stones of Stonehenge. There is no aspect of Stonehenge that isn't researched, talked about, even argued about. The personalities surrounding it are part of what fascinates me.

[sighonaraa]

Rosé, I think, if you want to get technical, but close enough!

she's beautiful.......

for you, my love, a wee bit of a brand-new wip (!) that i'm working on for the whump bingo card i received (!!!!!!):

“I think I’d rather walk over hot coals from here to France than do this,” Colin informs the occupants of the first car as they slather sunscreen onto each others’ backs and wait for the second car to arrive. It’s Roy driving that one, and Sam is convinced that he refused to let Jamie touch the GPS, or Moe the radio. He imagines all of them sitting there in silence as Roy becomes steadily more aware of his mistakes, and shudders. Alhamdulillah he got assigned to Isaac’s van. “But then you would have to be in France,” says Jan Maas, a pair of sunglasses perched on the bridge of his nose. He’s standing at the edge of the forest, looking for all the world like a cryptid that crawled its way free of the trees and then immediately realized its mistakes. Colin’s mouth screws up in disgust. “Damn.” “I take enormous offense to this,” says Richard, huffily. Then, pinching the spot where he’s applying sunscreen to Zoreaux’s upper bicep, “Quit moving.” “Sorry,” Zoreaux says. “I don’t want to be here.”

[m-eltdown]

[ultimatefangirl-exe]

All released pages of Gargoyles #1 so far

Loving the way these pages look, and I can't wait for the comics to come out!