Stonehenge Monument

No one is really sure who built Stonehenge or why it was built. Early theories were that it was constructed by the Druids or even the Romans, but those theories were disproved in the 20th century, when it was shown that construction began on Stonehenge over 2,000 years before Celts, and later Romans, had even arrived in the area. Most people believe that Neolithic peoples of the British Isles started building the Stonehenge monument around 5,000 years ago.

Most people are certain that Stonehenge was constructed as a holy place for religious rituals and ceremonies. It is very probable the early architects were sun worshipers since the axis which divides Stonehenge and is aligned with its entrance is basically oriented towards the midsummer sunrise. Newgrange, an Irish monument built around the same time period was oriented towards the midwinter sunrise.

American astronomer Gerald Hawkins voiced a theory in the early 1960s that Stonehenge was an astronomical observatory and calendar. He believed that ancient peoples used the monument to anticipate a wide range of astronomical phenomena. This theory is still widely held today, even though there are a number of uncertainties. Many experts doubt Stonehenge's builders had the ability to predict many of the astronomical events this theory proposes.

For now, Stonehenge remains a very intriguing mystery.

Image Credits: Orion Sky Lawlor
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