Stonehenge has been described as everything from something built by aliens as a sort of marker, to a site of devil worship. No one knows about the origin of Stonehenge. Up until now the most plausible explanation seemed to be simply that it was a place of Pagan worship. A fresh idea has come about that suggests the possibility that Stonehenge may have been built by Britons based on how they visually interpret sounds, no matter what it may have been used for. Let’s uncover this Stonehenge mystery more below.
What is Stonehenge?
First, where is Stonehenge located? Stonehenge is a historical site located in Wiltshire. It is owned and protected by the crown which in itself is kind of ironic when you consider that so many associate Stonehenge with the Pagan religion and then consider the crown’s reputation for difference in religion. Be that as it may, Stonehenge enjoys the protection of the crown in its controversial standing.
There are a variety of speculations as to how Stonehenge came to be, but the structure itself is now only a fraction of what it was once thought to be. The structure itself consists of numerous standing stones that make up a circle. On the top of some of those standing stones there are other stones known as joints that connect the standing stones. Inside the circle, whose “doorways” seem to coincide with the placement of the sun on certain Pagan holidays, there is a horseshoe-shaped structure. The use of the actual structures is unknown, but thought to involve Pagan rituals of the past.
The stones that now reside at the site are thought to have seen their new home between 2400 B.C. and 3000 B.C., lending even more credence to the idea that the site exists as a Pagan place of worship.
Before the Stones
Though Stonehenge is most easily recognized as the place of standing stones, its geographical location seems to have been of some significant importance before there was ever a standing stone on the site. The human remains found buried on the site were dated to have been placed in the ground long before the stones ever existed. More than that, the dead were dated to be deceased and well-tended long before they were placed in the ground, further suggesting that the geographical location of Stonehenge was significant in some religious aspect.
What does Sound have to do with Stonehenge?
Music found visual representation long before there were ever written musical notes and scales as we know them today. It seems that there has always been dance and drawings related to music, whether through the internal inspiration that music offers or based on the repeating patterns of a song.
When it comes to sound and religion, there is no end to the ways that the two are combined. In fact, before advances in science that involved sound were understood, even echoes were thought to be of some religious significance. It was thought that they were the voices of the Gods. Even thunder was considered to be a sign from the Gods; one that they were displeased in some way.
When it comes to Stonehenge the layout of the land itself has a great impact on how sound travels through the area. One professional that studies archaeoacoustics (a study of the history of sound and religion in ancient cultures), Mr. Steven Waller, suggests that Stonehenge may have been built as a visual representation of how sound reacts in the area.
Genius of the Time
Before there were electric guitars and sound boards, there were simple musical tools such as flutes. These are the instruments that Mr. Waller refers to as he explains how the idea of the rocks of Stonehenge may have been conceived. His assertion is that two flutes played in the field may have caused sound variations that are known as “auditory illusions”. These illusions can be “seen” if you were to view Stonehenge from space. The placement of the large stones indicates a lack of sound, or sound interference that could be experienced in the area.
What’s the Meaning of Stonehenge?
Still today, no one knows 100% what the meaning of Stonehenge is and it’s driving us all crazy! Ylvis explains everyone’s frustration perfectly in this song dedicated to Stonehenge music.
Are These Ideas Bogus?
Is this such a far-fetched idea? As perceived today, with all that we now know, it’s something that borders on genius considering the limited scientific knowledge experienced by the people who existed during the time that Stonehenge was built. Consider the fact that the graves dug for the deceased were not done with modern shovels, but with shovels made of antlers. In fact, one might take things a step further and wonder what exactly was being communicated with the building of Stonehenge. If indeed the monument was based on sound and used for religious purposes, one would also have to assume that the primitive people who built this were putting forth great effort to offer up some sort of message to the Gods. After all, this monument isn’t even built with stones found in the nearby area.
For what purpose do you think Stonehenge was built?
