Unseen Passage for Class 5 - Passage 01

Stonehenge, located on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, is a renowned monument known worldwide. Its massive stones are visible from afar.

The construction of Stonehenge spanned several centuries, beginning in the late Neolithic Age around 3000 BC. Over the next thousand years, numerous alterations were made to the monument, with the final modifications occurring in the early Bronze Age around 1500 BC.

Although the exact purpose of Stonehenge remains a mystery, it is believed that people congregated there for religious rituals.

The initial step involved shaping the boulders. Archaeologists theorize that ancient Britons inserted wooden wedges into cracks within the stones. As the wood absorbed water, it expanded, causing the stone to split. Subsequently, chisels and hammers were used to shape the stones.

The stones were then transported to the construction site, likely carried on rafts along rivers and dragged across land by teams of men and oxen. It is thought that the stones were placed on large wooden sledges and pulled along the ground using log rollers.

The builders dug deep trenches for the stones and used ropes to raise them, filling the ditches with rocks to secure the stones in position.

Some theories propose that Stonehenge served as an observatory for tracking the movements of the Sun and Moon, while others suggest it was a place of healing.

The ancient Britons attributed special significance to the Sun and Moon, believing they possessed extraordinary powers affecting their lives. It is highly probable that they conducted special ceremonies at Stonehenge on Midsummer's Day (the longest day of the year) and Midwinter's Day (the shortest day of the year).

Many experts argue that Stonehenge was utilized for funerary purposes. They propose that individuals transported the deceased along the River Avon and proceeded on a grand procession to Stonehenge. The most significant funeral ceremony likely took place on Midwinter's Night, coinciding with the longest night of the year.