Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England
Anthony & Marée Miles of Salisbury, England published this photo postcard showing a view of Stonehenge. The card is unused and dates from the 1960s. It was among several other travel postcards shared by K & J. The blurb on the back of the card reads: “Stonehenge, Western Aspect. An eerie Autumn sunset on massive Sarsens, highlighting 3,500 years weathering. Clearly visible is the locking-tenon capping the 45-ton remaining uprights of the largest trilithon.”
Stonehenge, added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1986, is one of the most famous landmarks in the United Kingdom. A henge is described as being a circular earthwork with a banked enclosure and an internal ditch. Unlike other henges the bank at Stonehenge is inside the ditch. The stone part of its name comes from the huge stones place around the circle and the trilithon refers to the top stone that resembles medieval gallows that were constructed of two uprights and a lintel joining them.
From its beginnings Stonehenge was used as a burial ground. Human bones found here have been dated to 3000 BC or when it appears the bank was first dug. Burials were continued at this place for about 500 years. Earlier postholes from about 8000 BC have been found nearby where it is suspected pine posts had been erected and later rotted in place. The construction spanned approximately 1500 years. Mounds, larger but similar to the Hopewell Mounds, were also built in the area around that same time period.
While the original construction may have been made of timbers a transition was made to stone around 2600 BC. Bluestone, dolerite, came from about 150 miles away in Wales, and Sarsens, sandstone, was found about 50 miles away. Each monolith measures around 2 m or 6.6 ft and weighs about two tons. The inward sides of the stones are smoother than the outer surfaces. Construction techniques used by the builders are unknown. Proposed functions include an astronomical observatory or a religious site. In modern times there have been restorations such as re-erecting fallen or propping up tilting stones. A new car park was built for visitors. Also archaeological excavations such as the Stonehenge Riverside Project are continuing.
There are several less famous Stonehenges worldwide including a replica near Goldendale, Washington and called the Maryhille Stonehenge, that was commissioned in the early 20th century by the wealthy entrepreneur Sam Hill and dedicated as a memorial to people who had died in World War I. Maryhill Stonehenge is constructed of concrete.
Maryhill Stonehenge
Views inside the Maryhill Stonehenge circle
The sun as seen through the openings in the Maryhill Stonehenge
The Columbia River as seen through the stones
The explanation plaque with a diagram of a typical Stonehenge
The memorial plaque at Maryhill Stonehenge
Thanks to K & J for sharing the Stonehenge postcard.
For additional information, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryhill_Stonehenge
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