Most of the huge blocks of sandstone, called sarsens , which make up the famous monument of Stonehenge in the United Kingdom appear to share a common origin 25 kilometers away in West Woods, Wiltshire, according to a recently published analysis of the chemical composition of the stones.
The findings support the theory that the stones were brought to Stonehenge at around the same time, contradicting an earlier suggestion that a large sarsen , the Stone of the Heel, originated in the vicinity of the monument and was erected before the others.
The results may also help scientists identify the route the monument's ancient builders would have taken to transport the huge boulders to the site of the famous monument.
Until recently we did not know that it was possible to find out the origin of a stone like the sarsens says David Nash, the lead author of the study. It has been very exciting to use 21st century science to understand the Neolithic past and answer a question that archaeologists have been debating for centuries .
Since the technology to determine the origins of the huge sarsens , which rise to a height of 10 meters, weigh up to 25 tons and make up the majority of Stonehenge, did not exist until recently, most of the research has revolved around bluestones (bluestones ) smaller parts of the monument, that is, various types of rock that were clearly not collected locally.
To learn where the giant rocks came from, Nash and his colleagues used portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (PXRF) to initially characterize their chemical composition, then analyzed the data statistically to determine their degree of chemical variability.
Next, the researchers performed inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) of core samples previously drilled through a sandstone and a series of sandstone rocks. from all over southern Britain.
After comparing these signatures, they were able to point to the West Woods as the place of origin of the Stonehenge Sarsens. Why the monument's builders selected this site remains a mystery, although researchers suggest that the size and quality of the West Woods stones, and the ease with which the builders were able to access them, may have played a role. in the decision.