3 ms·

"Henge" meaning "big round structure of unknown function with ditch on the inside of a bank." Several sites are presented, in close proximity. At least one app

"Henge" meaning "big round structure of unknown function with ditch on the inside of a bank." Several sites are presented, in close proximity. At least one appears to be mostly earthwork, and could be a classic "henge". In the most interesting one, I see no evidence of ditch or bank, just postholes and trenches in concentric circles. This one may be a large circular building. Of course, crop marks provide fairly limited information.

garmaine 8y ago
Nit, but we know pretty well what the Neolithic structures were for now. It used to be the case that hey were a mystery.
- Something1234 8y ago
  So what were they used for? I thought it was still a mystery.
  - garmaine 8y ago
    Celestial clocks for telling the seasons, and locations for convergent gatherings ever X seasons. The megalithic stone structures at least. The smaller but more numerous wooden pole circles (horseshoe shaped really) were centers of local villages, the Neolithic equivalent of a fort or medieval castle.
    - shakna 8y ago
      Unless you can produce a very strong source that those solutions are now considered universally to be true, I don't think you can say that to be definitely so. Firstly, looking at the actual henge, though the defence hypothesis is strong, there are several henges throughout the UK that lack the defensive structuring, but still take the right form, making it at least partly unlikely. Secondly, they seem to have been built away from population areas. Whilst a strong theory, it hasn't solved those problems, and so other solutions hold equal weight. Secondly, the celestial clock theory is actually fairly weak. Only about half of the henges featuring large stonework actually line up with astronomical events, even when modeled for the timelines we think they were put in place for. Some might be reasoned to track stars, some mountains, and so on. It doesn't quite fit, especially as their north-offsets are very consistent. You have some theories, which are popular theories, but so far as I'm aware, there are other equally popular theories held by the people in the field, and this isn't considered to be 'solved'.
- shakna 8y ago
  I wasn't aware we'd moved beyond: a) Probably ritualistic site, of unknown purpose b) Possible astronomical site Which would still classify as mysterious to most. Has there been some breakthrough?
baking 8y ago
The use of the word 'henge' in the title is probably fine because it includes the meaning "Neolithic earthwork" but 'crop circle' and 'monument' are just journalistic click-bait.

garmaine 8y ago

Nit, but we know pretty well what the Neolithic structures were for now. It used to be the case that hey were a mystery.

Something1234 8y ago
So what were they used for? I thought it was still a mystery.
- garmaine 8y ago
  Celestial clocks for telling the seasons, and locations for convergent gatherings ever X seasons. The megalithic stone structures at least. The smaller but more numerous wooden pole circles (horseshoe shaped really) were centers of local villages, the Neolithic equivalent of a fort or medieval castle.
  - shakna 8y ago
    Unless you can produce a very strong source that those solutions are now considered universally to be true, I don't think you can say that to be definitely so. Firstly, looking at the actual henge, though the defence hypothesis is strong, there are several henges throughout the UK that lack the defensive structuring, but still take the right form, making it at least partly unlikely. Secondly, they seem to have been built away from population areas. Whilst a strong theory, it hasn't solved those problems, and so other solutions hold equal weight. Secondly, the celestial clock theory is actually fairly weak. Only about half of the henges featuring large stonework actually line up with astronomical events, even when modeled for the timelines we think they were put in place for. Some might be reasoned to track stars, some mountains, and so on. It doesn't quite fit, especially as their north-offsets are very consistent. You have some theories, which are popular theories, but so far as I'm aware, there are other equally popular theories held by the people in the field, and this isn't considered to be 'solved'.
shakna 8y ago
I wasn't aware we'd moved beyond: a) Probably ritualistic site, of unknown purpose b) Possible astronomical site Which would still classify as mysterious to most. Has there been some breakthrough?

baking 8y ago

The use of the word 'henge' in the title is probably fine because it includes the meaning "Neolithic earthwork" but 'crop circle' and 'monument' are just journalistic click-bait.