Stonehenge Altar Stone mystery solved: 6-ton slab was carried 434 miles from Scotland

Stonehenge, a mysterious prehistoric site in Wiltshire, England, continues to baffle archaeologists regarding its building process.

It’s a colossal structure made up of massive stones placed in a circular pattern.

The Altar Stone, a massive six-ton sandstone slab, holds a central position within this ancient monument. Previously, it was believed that this stone originated in Wales.

However, a recent study led by Curtin University has turned this long-held belief on its head.

It turns out that this Altar Stone most likely came from northeast Scotland, which is at least 700 kilometers (434 miles) away from its ultimate resting place in southwest England.

“Given its Scottish origins, the findings raise fascinating questions, considering the technological constraints of the Neolithic era, as to how such a massive stone was transported over vast distances around 2600 BC,” said Anthony Clarke, lead author from the Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

Chemical composition analysis

For this study, the researchers analyzed the mineral grain composition of fragments from the Altar Stone. They compared the age and chemistry of these minerals to geological records.

Interestingly, the Altar Stone’s mineral composition matched rocks found in northeast Scotland, ruling out a Welsh origin.

“Our analysis found specific mineral grains in the Altar Stone are mostly between 1,000 to 2,000 million years old, while other minerals are around 450 million years old,” Clarke added.

“This provides a distinct chemical fingerprint suggesting the stone came from rocks in the Orcadian Basin, Scotland, at least 750 kilometers away from Stonehenge,” he said.

How it was transported remains a mystery

Construction of this famed Neolithic site began around 5,000 years ago and was completed in multiple stages over 2,000 years.

Stonehenge is made of two main types of stone: large sarsen stones for the arches and smaller bluestones, which were most likely imported from Wales.

Despite extensive research, the exact purpose of Stonehenge is still debated. Theories vary from a religious or ceremonial place to an astronomy observatory .

This recent research raises a fresh question about Stonehenge: How did prehistoric humans transport the 6-ton stone across Britain’s islands?

This revelation challenges our understanding of the Neolithic era and the capabilities of the ancient people from this period.

As per the researchers, the results point to the presence of advanced transportation systems and societal organization that existed some 5,000 years ago, when the stone was carried to southern England.

“Transporting such massive cargo overland from Scotland to southern England would have been extremely challenging, indicating a likely marine shipping route along the coast of Britain,” said Chris Kirkland, study co-author, in the press release.

Kirkland added: “This implies long-distance trade networks and a higher level of societal organization than is widely understood to have existed during the Neolithic period in Britain.”

Reportedly, archaeological evidence has previously showcased that Neolithic Europe had well-developed marine transportation networks and even developed some sorts of ships.

Although researchers have confirmed the Altar Stone’s Scottish origins,  they are still searching for its exact location in northeast Scotland.

The study was carried out in partnership with Aberystwyth University, the University of Adelaide, and University College London.

The findings have been published in the journal Nature.