Note: This has nothing to do with the rest of my page, just my Wordpad document was on the fritz, so I used my HTML server to print my stuff---Erika K.
-Source for History M.I.S. in Mr. Morris' class (to be deleted soon)

The construction of Stonehenge began about 2800 B.C. and was completed by 1400 B.C. Stonehenge's origins go as far back as The Old Kingdom in Egypt, and to the science of the era that brought about the Great Pyramid. Although the times of these two monuments were closely linked, the master builder behind Stonehenge had no contact with the older culture or its science.

The earliest reference to Stonehenge may have been made by a Greek writer, by the name of Diodorus Siculus, a contemporary of Julias Caesar. Diodorus described a "spherical temple" to the sun-god Apollo in Hyperborea. It is also known that "spherical" was sometimes used by ancient writers to denote "astronomical".

The name "Stonehenge" was hypothesized to have meant "hanging stones". Stonehenge consists of a series of circular or quasi-circular rings of standing stone set out in a pattern which relates them to important positions of the sun and moon.

For this reason Stonehenge has been considered one of the earliest known computers, since it is in essence, a method for determining the time of year. Working much like the well-known sun dial of that past era.

People have come up with many different theories as to Stonehenge's purpose. Some more farfetched being that it was used as a meeting place for Druid priests, where they conducted ceremonies or sacrifices. It was even believed to have been constructed by intergalactic beings at one point. However, its most popular and realistic purpose seems to be, that it was meant to be a Neolithic calendar, which was capable of predicting eclipses.

When it comes to the construction of Stonehenge, one hypothesis is that the large stones were dragged on massive sledges and rollers, and hauled upwards to stand erected with ropes of leather cow hair. The stones that were used in the construction of this structure, were believed to have come from two separate areas. The bluestones, which form the earliest semicircle, were brought in from the Preseli Mountains, located some 385 km away. The larger stones were brought up from the Marlborough Downs, located 30 km north of Stonehenge.

The construction of Stonehenge was part of a chronology, which consisted on numbered portions. 'Stonehenge I' which dated to 2800 B.C. was a phase that consisted of a circular henge monument 350 feet in diameter with a circular bank and a ditch surrounding an inner circle of fifty-six holes. 'Stonehenge II', which dated to 2130 B.C. added the Avenue, which were two parallel ditches and banks about forty-seven feet apart and running about 2.5 miles long. Also added to the construct were two bluestone circles, possibly linteled, and including a blue-green spotted dolerite, rhyolite, volcanic ash and sandstone. All of these were have said to have weight up to five tons.

'Stonehenge III' was the third phase, which included the construction of the sarsen linteled circle and the massive trilithon horseshoe. In order to make room for this new construction, it was required that the two bluestone circles be demolished.

Over the centuries, this construct, showing proof of the strength and power of man labour, has been kept very well preserved, and attracts thousands of tourists each year. Once there, even among the many other people that come there looking for something new and exciting, no one can doubt the magnitude that these ancient stones posses, and the odd emotions they can evoke in a witness to their immensity.

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