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I am lucky enough to live not too far from Stonehenge. The most surprising thing is how unremarkable the surrounding area is - geography-wise. It must have mean

by hunta2097 8y ago

I am lucky enough to live not too far from Stonehenge. The most surprising thing is how unremarkable the surrounding area is - geography-wise. It must have meant something to those people. It's pretty flat but that's not remarkable for Wiltshire. There are so many 5,000 year old ancient sites in this part of the Britain. Make sure you also visit Avebury if you are ever in the area - it's just as old as Stonehenge but you can still walk among the stones and touch them.

singularity2001 8y ago
Was it maybe their capital city because the area was flat?
darkhorn 8y ago
May be there was forest back then?
- narag 8y ago
  In the man-made department, I always wonder if missing pieces of buildings were made of wood. Maybe Stonehenge would make much more sense that way.
  - TheOtherHobbes 8y ago
    There have been serious academic archaeological suggestions that the original monuments were circles and lines of trees, and the stones were added to make the layout permanent. I'm not completely convinced. Dragging giant rocks over open chalk land is hard. Dragging them through woodland is a lot harder.
chrisseaton 8y ago
> The most surprising thing is how unremarkable the surrounding area is - geography-wise. Salisbury plain? It’s some of the most commanding land in the south of England.
- joshlemer 8y ago
  What do you mean by commanding?
  - chrisseaton 8y ago
    You can stand on the high parts and see large parts of the Kingdom of Wessex, enabling you to literally command it.
DanBC 8y ago
Avebury is remarkable. You can walk among the stones and touch them. People took some of the stones for building materials. And there's a modern road that cuts through the circle. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Avebury/@51.4289196,-1.8548908,498m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x48715c3293800313:0xd6131e27f8f5e5aa!8m2!3d51.4289196!4d-1.8548908 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Avebury/@51.4289196,-1.8...
toddh 8y ago
When I was there I was wondering that same thing. Nice little river valley. Pretty surrounding hills. Maybe if you could feel ley lines the experience would be different?

singularity2001 8y ago

Was it maybe their capital city because the area was flat?

darkhorn 8y ago

May be there was forest back then?

narag 8y ago
In the man-made department, I always wonder if missing pieces of buildings were made of wood. Maybe Stonehenge would make much more sense that way.
- TheOtherHobbes 8y ago
  There have been serious academic archaeological suggestions that the original monuments were circles and lines of trees, and the stones were added to make the layout permanent. I'm not completely convinced. Dragging giant rocks over open chalk land is hard. Dragging them through woodland is a lot harder.

chrisseaton 8y ago

> The most surprising thing is how unremarkable the surrounding area is - geography-wise. Salisbury plain? It’s some of the most commanding land in the south of England.

joshlemer 8y ago
What do you mean by commanding?
- chrisseaton 8y ago
  You can stand on the high parts and see large parts of the Kingdom of Wessex, enabling you to literally command it.

DanBC 8y ago

Avebury is remarkable. You can walk among the stones and touch them. People took some of the stones for building materials. And there's a modern road that cuts through the circle. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Avebury/@51.4289196,-1.8548908,498m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x48715c3293800313:0xd6131e27f8f5e5aa!8m2!3d51.4289196!4d-1.8548908 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Avebury/@51.4289196,-1.8...

toddh 8y ago

When I was there I was wondering that same thing. Nice little river valley. Pretty surrounding hills. Maybe if you could feel ley lines the experience would be different?