Stonehenge is one of the most famous landmarks in the United Kingdom, and a big reason for that is the mystery that surrounds it. No one knows who built it or what its purpose was, resulting in various theories being proposed about its origins. Today, we will look into some of the most popular ones.
Ancient Healing and Pilgrimage Site
A large number of burials have been discovered in the Stonehenge area. Many of the skeletons found showed traces of illnesses, physical trauma, or deformities. This caused several experts to propose a theory that the place was actually an ancient healing and pilgrimage site.
Burial Place
A recent study shared by British experts indicates that Stonehenge might have been a burial place. After re-examining the bone fragments found in the area, the researchers concluded that they predate the monument in its current shape. This led them to believe that the smaller standing bluestones might have served as grave markers.
Mnemonic Centre
Australian researcher and writer Lynne Kelly proposed a theory that Stonehenge actually served as a mnemonic center. With Neolithic Britons lacking written language, they constructed Stonehenge to preserve cultural knowledge and pragmatic information on animals, geography, navigation, and crop cycles. Kelly based her theory on the timeline of social changes among Neolithic Britons as well as archeological records and the level of activity at the Stonehenge site.