Stonehenge: an ancient megalithic structure situated on Salisbury Plain in England. For years its purpose has remained a mystery, its architecture, materials and construction unique, not only to the landscape of pre-historic Britain, but also within the ancient world - and yet archeologists persist in their interpretation of Stonehenge as a temple built to honor the dead during the late Neolithic. Nothing could be farther from the truth ....
Over the past two years the site has been digitized from a number of sources including surveyor's maps, reference books, excavation reports, photographs and personal accounts.

The resulting 3D computer models provide the online visitor unparalleled access to Stonehenge with interactive views of the site as it is and as it would have appeared thousands of years ago.
Only half the number of original Sarsen stones at the center of the site remain standing, others lie fallen and broken on the ground.

The size, shape and major features of individual stones have been preserved in the model as has the general size and shape of the surrounding bank and ditch, which is today only a fraction of its original height following thousands of years of erosion.
Nothing has been overlooked. Rings of stone and timber post holes (discovered during excavation in the 20th century) are included in the model as are outlying stones which had been removed or repositioned over the years.

In fact, so thorough was the research behind this project it now casts serious doubt over an archeological sequence of events at Stonehenge which has remained unchallenged for over half a century.
The 3D model allowed most theories to be tested; some assume a symmetry of features which simply does not exist while others rely on alignments between stones which are correct on paper but in practice would have been impossible or are only approximations, like the belief that Stonehenge was deliberately aligned so that pillars of the Sarsen circle perfectly frame the Sun as it rises over the Heel Stone on the summer solstice.
Finally the original site could be recreated. With missing pillars and lintels replaced, the bank reconstructed to its original height and other features explained, a picture of Stonehenge emerged that is far removed from the Neolithic temple painted by archeologists. Yes, it was an astronomical observatory but one that was far more subtle than its large stone design suggests. What's more, it's a lot older than previously thought possible. 
No less of a mystery as to how Stonehenge was built is  how it was destroyed. Although many stones have been removed for reuse in building houses an analysis of the foundations and architecture, together with the direction and extent of damage to individual stones indicates a catastrophic event was to blame for the initial destruction. The question now is, what could have caused it and could it happen again?

Our brief trip through time has brought us back to where we started and an ancient site with a story to tell. Read the truth behind the world's oldest man-made structure in the remarkable new book

The
Stonehenge Observatory

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