England is no less mysterious country than Egypt or China. The number of megalithic structures is very high here, and Stonehenge is far from the largest. Avebury is a ring of 27 megaliths, and originally there were 98 of them.
Once upon a time, back in 2600-1600 BC, Avebury was the Temple of the Sun. Avebury Stone Ring is older and larger than the famous Stonehenge. It is considered the largest prehistoric monument in all of Europe, and perhaps in the world. It's not so difficult to get here, you either need to get an entry visa or issue an invitation to a foreigner, if of course you have friends or relatives in these parts.
The area is more than 28 acres - 250 thousand people can easily fit on its territory. In 1633, the writer John Aubrey wrote a letter to King Charles II inviting him to visit this mysterious place, which "… surpasses the famous Stonehenge in its grandeur as much as the cathedral surpasses the parish church."
The monument is located in the English county of Wiltshire, representing an earthen rampart 450 m in diameter and 8 m high, inside which there is a ditch about 10 m deep. Within the ditch there is a ring of boulders, some of which weigh up to forty tons. Although only 27 such boulders have survived to this day, there were originally 98 of them. Inside the outer ring were two smaller ones, each consisting of about thirty stones. Many boulders were split in the 18th century during the construction of the village of Avebury, located within this massive structure.
Until now, it has not been possible to restore the exact plan of the structure. It is only known that there is a stone "alley" that leads to the Sanctuary on Overton Hill. It is 15 meters wide and 5 miles long. Presumably there is a second alley, which should lead in the opposite direction. In the spring of 1999, researchers Dave Wheatley, Mark Gillings and Josh Pollard found previously unknown slabs. They most likely formed part of Beckhampton Alley.
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They also confirmed that the “disappeared” roads did exist. This hypothesis was first put forward by the researcher Stukeley. Beckhampton Alley used to be considered just a figment of the imagination, until it was confirmed by archaeological excavations. The structure, according to the researchers, resembled a snake in its shape, while the second alley, believably a snake, curved twice on its way. Some researchers believe that there were only four alleys, and that they resembled a Celtic cross in their shape.
All structures of the Ring were made of stone and wood. Most likely, in its very center there was a statue of a god, whom the ancient people worshiped. They took the statue of the deity to the main street and put it in the middle of the circle, and then performed religious rites, often including in sacrifices. The alleys were created for entertainment, competitions, which were part of a religious celebration.
Boulders were placed after sacrifices or burials. So, in the letter of the 10th century it is said there that burials were carried out here. In our time, the remains of ancient people were found at this place, who were buried at the base of four stone blocks.
On Avebury stones of various shapes are located: from phallic to diamond-shaped. All this makes it possible to believe that ancient people performed fertility rites here. If ancient women wanted to get pregnant, then they certainly had to sit on the Devil's Chair - the largest stone - then their desire came true.
Researchers have proven the theory that it was here that burials of people who lived in the Bronze Age were carried out. The Christian Church was built near Avebury in 634. But the whole problem lay in the popularity of the pagan belief that Avebury monument embodied.
In order for the Christian faith to supplant paganism, in the XIV century. the church made an attempt to destroy the ring. Part of the ditch was covered with earth, the stones were buried or pushed down. This later helped to save the stones from complete destruction during construction work carried out at Avebury. Later, the boulders were dug up again and put in their place. A human skeleton was also found, crushed by a huge stone during the work.
The Stone Ring was first explored in detail by William Stukeley. He decided to make a description of the monument, as he knew that soon they want to destroy the monument. Dr. Stukeley studied ancient cultures and applied his knowledge to his research on Avebury. He noticed in his research that the ancient monument combines the Symbols of the Serpent and the Sun, similar to those that the ancient Egyptians called symbols of wisdom, higher ideals and truths.
A mystical story happened to one of the archaeological scientists here. Edith Olivier in October 1916 wanted to climb the hill, but suddenly she saw the fair below. Olivier later wrote the book "Not Knowing Mr. Walkley." In it, the writer depicted modest houses, swings among towering huge blocks of Avebury. But the locals did not pay attention to them, as if they were not here. Later, the writer was surprised to learn that Avebury fairs had not been held since 1850. All this she simply dreamed in the mirage. Such paranormal phenomena occur frequently here. So, in the summer of 1966, Mrs. Harris dreamed of someone who looked like a tramp. Soon this ghost vanished into thin air.
The Stone Ring attracts not only mystics and researchers, but also crowds of curious tourists who enjoy visiting the picturesque surroundings of Avebury.