British archaeologists have discovered a large Neolithic monument at a distance of 2.5 kilometers from Stonehenge. Reported by The Independent.
The ancient monument discovered by scientists reaches 200 meters in diameter and is more than a thousand years older than Stonehenge. It is part of a structure of two concentric circles, based on ditches and a palisade.
The monument was used presumably for religious and political purposes. This is indicated by fragments of ceramic bowls and bones of cattle discovered by scientists, as well as parts of human skulls.
So far, archaeologists have managed to excavate less than a fifth of the complex - about a hundred meters of the outer ditch. The discovered structure is the first large Early Neolithic monument discovered in the Stonehenge area over the past hundred years.
Stonehenge, located in Wiltshire, UK, was built about four thousand years ago. The heaviest stones weigh 30-40 tons. The final purpose of the complex is still unknown.
In ancient times, as shown by research by archaeologists, the main structures of Stonehenge were transferred from Wales to Wiltshire. Most likely, the monument was transported by the ancient Welsh, as archaeologist Mike Parker-Pearson of University College London believes, he was "the physical embodiment of ancestors."