From Wales to Scotland, Unsolved Mysteries

JAKARTA – In a bid to solve the mystery of Stonehenge’s iconic monoliths, geologists are turning their search for the origins of Stonehenge’s central Altar Stone to Scotland after new research redirected the search away from Wales.

Not from Orkney

New analysis by scientists suggests that the Stonehenge stones did not come from Orkney, an archipelago off the northeast coast of Scotland that is home to 5,000-year-old Neolithic sites.

The findings, published Sept. 5 in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, come after a study released in August 2024 pointed to northeastern Scotland as the likely origin of the Altar Stone.

The research, published in the journal Nature, overturns a century-old idea that the stone originated in present-day Wales.

Altar Stones and Stonehenge

The Altar Stone, the largest of the bluestones used to build Stonehenge, lies at the heart of the ancient monument in southern England. The 13,227-pound (6-metric-ton) block was likely transported more than 430 miles (700 kilometers) from northeastern Scotland nearly 5,000 years ago, possibly by sea. But its purpose remains a mystery.

A team of geologists, including many of the same authors of the Nature study, examined Neolithic stones at two prominent historic landmarks on the Mainland, Orkney’s largest island, that were similar in size and type to the Altar Stone. But the analysis found no connection.

“The mystery of where the stone came from becomes clearer as we start to rule out certain areas in northeast Scotland,” said lead study author Richard Bevins, honorary professor in the department of geography and earth sciences at Aberystwyth University in the UK, in a statement.

“This research radically changes our thinking about the origins of the Altar Stone. It is thrilling to know that our chemical analysis and dating work are slowly unlocking this great mystery.”

Putting Together the Ancient Puzzle Pieces

Construction of Stonehenge: began in 3000 BC and took place in several phases. The Altar Stone is believed to have been placed within the central horseshoe during the second construction phase around 2620 BC to 2480 BC.

Types of Stone at Stonehenge: Research has shown that bluestones, a type of fine-grained sandstone, and silicified sandstone blocks called sarsens were used in the construction of the monument.

The sarsens came from the West Woods near Marlborough, about 25 kilometres away, while some of the bluestones came from the Preseli Hills area of ​​west Wales and are thought to be the first stones placed at the site.

The Uniqueness of the Altar Stone

“The Altar Stone is anomalous in many respects for both the bluestones and the sarsens at Stonehenge,” Bevins said. “It is situated in an unusual position on the monument, occupying a nearly central location and not within the Bluestone Circle or the Bluestone Horseshoe. It is also a grey-green sandstone, unlike all other bluestones.”

Searching for Answers in Scotland

The discovery that Wales could not have been the origin of the Altar Stone changed the direction of Bevins’ research.

“The evidence for long-distance contact between Orkney and Stonehenge relates in part to the exchange of certain styles of material culture,” Bevins said.

The long-standing association between Stonehenge and Orkney includes the style of decorated pottery and similar architecture of ancient dwellings found at both sites.