Stonehenge is a megalithic monument, which located in the Southern England of Wiltshire. One of the most famous prehistoric monuments in the world, composed of thirty upright stones surrounding a circular, with thirty lintels with thirty (6 tons each) perched horizontally atop the sarsens in a continuous circle. Some people have believed that iconic stone monument was built by Druids, but we don't have much idea about the builders. Archaeologists have suggested that Stonehenge was set upright around 2500 BC, as expressed in the chronology below. One another theory however, has suggested that the first stones were not set upright until 2400–2200 BC, whilst another also suggests that bluestones may have been set upright at the there as early as 3000 BC. The surrounding circular earth bank and channel, which constitute the earliest part of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. So Stonehenge was built before the first metal tools were used by human.
Regardless of who built that iconic stone monument, the design and construction involved lot of people. To drag vast stones from Marlborough Downs, 30 kilometers to the south of Stonehenge, would have been quite an achievement. And how was it possible to set upright those stones? It is an amazing achievement of engineering. This prehistoric monument is even mentioned within Arthurian legend that names Merlin as the engineer.
Interesting thing is that this monument is angled such that on the equinoxes and the solstices, the sun rising over the horizon comes into view to be perfectly placed between gaps in the megaliths. There are no doubt that this not an accident, and most likely contributed to the stories of its mysterious origins.
Stonehenge is definitely an enigmatic and famous site of world. And it continues to perplex and puzzle archaeologists. There is no any kind of doubt about that it will forever .there are more than eight hundred stone structures in Wales, England, and Scotland, Stonehenge is the most remarkable and well-known. It is a signature as a testament of time and all the world's wonders. After its completion, later generations removed, broke up, or destroyed some stones to build roads & houses. Stones have been broken off under ground level. Only half of the original stones are in left over today. Although it is a simple ruin of an awesome prehistoric iconic temple, attempt is being made to defend this national heritage. UNESCO gave Stonehenge is World Heritage Status 1984 ("Stonehenge", NPA). Since l978 the government bans visitors from walking within the stone circle because of harm to the stones ("Stonehenge", NPA). Guards warn them to stay to a passageway near the stones. Though Stonehenge is not the same great attractiveness that it was in 1500 B.C., it is still the most broadly popularized and talked on stone circle in the history of the world. Now we know much more about Stonehenge, but in a world where information is at our fingertips through the Internet and a simple walk to the library, Stonehenge is one and only greatest true mysteries left. No matter how many studies and excavations are performed , how much research on or about Stonehenge, we will never be certain of anything about Stonehenge except for that it is here for us to ponder and wonder over for immortality .
