Archaeology team unearths 'prototype' of world-famous Stonehenge monument just a few miles away
The wooden structure had two poles 120 meters apart and may have marked solstices, researchers said.
- Archaeologists revealed Thursday that they discovered a 5,000-year-old timber structure in Bulford, 5 kilometers from Stonehenge, which predates the iconic stone circle by around 500 years.
- Wessex Archaeology discovered the site while supporting the British Ministry of Defence's Army Basing Programme to accommodate troops withdrawn from Germany, uncovering post pits aligned with the Sun.
- The structure consisted of two wooden poles 120 meters apart, aligned to the rising sun during the summer solstice; excavators unearthed pottery, animal bones, and a rare disc-shaped flint knife.
- Archaeologist Phil Harding called the discovery 'certainly the highlight of my career,' while senior research manager Dr. Matt Leivers said it was 'fundamental because it's the earliest example' of solstice-aligned construction.
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British archaeologists have discovered traces of an older, smaller version of the Stonehenge monument near the site, made of wood. Archaeologists believe it was built about 500 years earlier and may have served as a solar calendar, just like Stonehenge.
The 5,000-year-old structure contained wooden pillars, which were aligned with the sun during the summer solstice and winter solstice, the longest and shortest days of the year, in the same way as Stonehenge.
Archaeologists Discover 5,000-Year-Old Solstice Site Near Stonehenge
Stonehenge, Salisbury, UK. Credit: Loco Steve / CC BY-2.0 / Flickr Archaeologists have discovered a 5,000-year-old solstice site near Stonehenge that predates the famous stone circle by about 500 years. The discovery, led by Phil Harding of Wessex Archaeology, is the earliest known structure built to align with the solstice anywhere in the Stonehenge area. The site lies in Bulford, Wiltshire, roughly five kilometers (3 miles) from Stonehenge. Ra…
Archaeologists May Have Found Stonehenge Prototype
Archaeologists say Stonehenge may have had a stripped-down wooden precursor hidden just three miles away. At Bulford, near the famous stone circle, they've identified two post holes that once held large timber pillars set 400 feet apart—aligned with the summer solstice sunrise and winter solstice sunset, much like Stonehenge...
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