Marcus Posted October 15, 2008 Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 I read with interest the theories being presented about the ?function? of Stonehenge, in other words ?what was it for? With all the amount of media interest and two excavation programmes this year (the first in a generation) you might think that something sensible would have emerged, but no. Firstly the Structure that most people regard as Stonehenge, those massive Iconic stones; have nothing to do with the cremation burials around the edge of the site (these took place for some 500 years before the major stones were put up). These cremated bone had almost all been put into pre-existing cuts holes and hollows, opportunist rather than discrete events. If it were primarily a burial ground would they really have placed revered remains in the ditch around the site and into earlier holes which were first created to house some structural elements? Where are the more ?respectful? grave cuts, well they hardly exist at all. More importantly, when (and after) Stonehenge was built people were being buried anywhere but Stonehenge ? under barrows in the surrounding landscape, and very few close to Stonehenge at that. Conclusion? ?Stonehenge? as most people understand it, was not a cemetery. The second ?theory? is that Stonehenge was a prehistoric Lourdes, well how exactly does anyone prove that? There were lots of people buried in the landscape around the stones who showed signs of disease and injury. OK well it was over 4,000 years ago, is this surprising? I don?t think so. And people traveled from afar, well the sample is very small , just a few individuals, why do people move around - and if you are that sick (in those days) would you make a journey from the Alps? These folk must have been fit and well when they were moving around Europe. And people chipped of pieces of the smaller ?bluestones? because they thought they had ?healing properties?, is there no other way the bits of stone scattered around the site might be explained? Conclusion: Stonehenge can not be shown to be a place of ?healing.? People have to think for themselves, there seems to be an agenda behind these two separate theories, much of it to do with the way the research was funded i.e. mainly in these cases by the desire to make 'good' TV. Here are some links, which also include one to a page that considers how- rather than why Stonehenge was built, now that is interesting. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7660860.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7625145.stm http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2655187/Stonehenge-was-hidden-from-lower-classes.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/stonehenge-builders-had-geometry-skills-to-rival-pythagoras-834313.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted November 4, 2008 Report Share Posted November 4, 2008 I've seen, walked near to, driven past etc Stonehenge many times in a past life and surrounding area's that are also of similar interest. I love history and anything like that, especialy when we can't really find the answer and it's probably buried for ever, we were probably never mean't to know. I must say the first time I saw Stonehenge although as I say I'm fascinated by this sort of thing, mesmorised by the strucure and curious as to how it was contructed etc, I was very dissapointed in the size, I think having only seen in in books for so long I thought it would be far bigger than it was but there you go. I was always of the thought that it was a kind of calender? Is it not contructed with the moons cycle in mind and th sun and the seasons? I must say its the most enchanting place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve the Original Posted November 4, 2008 Report Share Posted November 4, 2008 I have also driven visited Stonehenge a lot as i used to live in Wiltshire as for Stonehenge i have no idea what it was used for maybe a UFO Airport? i guess its one of things that we will never know for sure what it was or what it was used for.. Or does anyone have a timemachine that i can borrow? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted November 4, 2008 Report Share Posted November 4, 2008 Think we've had the chat before but I used to live in Hampshire - Tidworth! All sorts goes on down them parts you know, folks never come back the same they say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted November 5, 2008 Report Share Posted November 5, 2008 Tidworth? Is that still the HQ for Army Transport? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 There is an Army Garrison there and I lived there once ( in a former life). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 I know, that's why I was trying to confirm the Corps - think it was the Royal Corps of Transport - which I think has changed to Logistical Corps now?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 I made a point of going to Stone henge - spent most of one day there - I think it was once a place that people thanked their God for the renewal of life - in spring and the mourning of death - in fall. Just my opinion. Although the stones seem small to us in modern day;just think how hard they had to work to create and pile the stones - the workmanship involved - it had to be for a very good reason, to them. It also took many years to create and finish, that is dedication. It is a part of history that I am very thankful to have had the time to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve the Original Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 Tidworth is still a Garrison but it has all been modernised now not like when we lived there.. if you remember coronation street at the top of the camps? that has all gone along with a lot of the camps. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 So Ste; was it RCT training? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 When I lived there in 91 / 92 on battalion was the 1st Bat Royal Reg Fusiliers (SP) - doubt they were the only ones there, the place is huge. Aside from that though, Andover and Salsbury which Tidworth is kind of between are both lovely places. Hampshire's lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted December 7, 2008 Report Share Posted December 7, 2008 What struck me when I was down that way, was the lack of "dark satanic mills", just the "green and pleasant land"; which sort of impressed on one the North-South divide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Time Team have done a full prog about stonehenge, and conclude it was a religious site, concerned with the cycle of life and death and of seasonal renewal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indy Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Time Team came to Warburton and did a 3 day dig with me and declared that there was no evidence for Roman military activity at the site!! Just three months later i uncovered Roman silver Republican coins nearby all confirmed by experts as being coins issued for Roman Military pay .... Say no more .. Watch This !! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO5U3zi5EF0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 So have you found any military forts etc, or could it be that a Roman soldier with a hole in his purse was just passing by?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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