When one thinks of timeless monuments to humanity, they often (probably) think of the pyramids of Giza, the giant heads on Easter Island and the monoliths of Stonehenge.

Wikimedia Commons Based on the findings of archaeologists and other scientists, the Wiltshire, England circle of large stones is believed to have dated back to 3000 to 2000 BC, with recent tests pointing to the site being 500 years older than previously thought. The ancient lifespan of the site and its timeless interest in the cycles of the cosmos and nature is what has drawn people to the area for thousands of years. Shockingly, the stones that stand in a seemingly immortal and unmovable position are not the original monoliths put in place thousands of years ago. In fact, notes Ancient Code, some of the stones date back to just the turn of the 20th Century A.D., with most having been set in place fifty years ago.

Ancient Code The thousands of years took its toll on Stonehenge, with the large rocks weathered into crumbling masses or falling over due to ancient earthquakes. In 1901 a restorative process was undertaken to bring Stonehenge back to life.

Ancient Code Ancient Code writes: “William Gowland oversaw the first major restoration of the monument which involved the straightening and concrete setting of sarsen stone number 56 which was in danger of falling. In straightening the stone he moved it about half a meter from its original position. “During the 1920 restoration William Hawley, who had excavated nearby Old Sarum, excavated the base of six stones and the outer ditch. Richard Atkinson, Stuart Piggott and John F. S. Stone re-excavated much of Hawley’s work in the 1940s and 1950s and discovered the carved axes and daggers on the Sarsen Stones.

Ancient Code “In 1958 the stones were restored again when three of the standing sarsens were re-erected and set in concrete bases. The last restoration was carried out in 1963 after stone 23 of the Sarsen Circle fell over.” These efforts were quietly undertaken so as to avoid too many people knowing that the stones they were touching and taking pictures of were not the original ones erected by an ancient British society. For Brian Edwards, a historical research student who has visited the site, the lack of knowledge among tourists was a bit startling. “For too long people have been kept in the dark over the Stonehenge restoration work. I am astonished by how few people know about it. It is wonderful the guide book is going to tell the full story in the future.” Christopher Chippindale, a Cambridge University archeological archivist and leading Stonehenge author, is quoted as saying that “Not much of what we see at Stonehenge hasn’t been touched in some way.”

What Do You Think?

Let us know on our Facebook page.