Scientists have discovered in Great Britain a Neolithic complex, which was developed several centuries before Stonehenge.
The complex is located 2.5 kilometers northeast of Stonehenge. It consists of two segmented ditches forming concentric circles with an outer diameter of about 200 meters. The element of the monument can also be a system of earth embankments. To date, scientists have mastered 17 percent of the site, while the overall safety of the complex is unknown. It is believed to have been erected about 5,650 years ago, long before Stonehenge.
According to researchers, the complex could have been used for ceremonial and ritual purposes. This is indicated by a large number of beef bones, as well as fragments of bowls (up to 25 centimeters in diameter), which were deliberately broken. Such fragments and the presence of animals may indicate sacrifices. In addition, fragments of human skulls (four people) were found at the site: the remains could have been transferred here from nearby graves.
In total, 15 bowls were found on the territory of the excavation, their total number may reach 200. In the near future, scientists will conduct a chemical analysis of the dishes to determine the composition of the products that were stored in it. Until now, only one monument of the early Neolithic era was known, located not far (four kilometers) from Stonehenge, its construction dates back to 3650 BC. In Britain, there are about 70 such complexes.
Stonehenge is a megalithic structure located in Wiltshire, 130 kilometers southwest of London. According to archaeologists, the monument was erected between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago. The functions of the site have not been established, according to one of the theories, the position of the stones located here corresponds to astronomical phenomena and could be used as an observatory. It is known that Stonehenge was also used for burials.