For as long as many of us can remember, Stonehenge has been a mystery. Located in the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, this stone arrangement has puzzled people for hundreds of years. The world’s earliest archeologists were intrigued by Stonehenge and what it could possibly mean, and in the centuries that followed there are still many questions left to be answered.
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Even though plenty of educated guesses and analyses have been conducted on the Neolithic landmark, questions are still being asked about it every day. Though the monument is approximately 5 000 years old, there is still much to learn about it. Thankfully, recent discoveries have been made that could answer these questions, as well as inspire even more questions to be asked.
Researching Stonehenge
For the past four years, a team of researchers has been mapping Stonehenge and the surrounding area in hopes of answering some questions about it. Thanks to ground-penetrating radar and GPS-guided magnetometers, these archeologists have discovered there’s far more to Stonehenge than meets the eye. Nearly 3,000 acres of land have been mapped out thanks to this new technology.
One of the main forms of technology used for this process, magnetometry, records the magnetic properties — specifically, the iron levels — in the ground that were left behind by human activity. Fluxgate sensors were used to help measure the magnetic field and capture images below the surface.
The ground-penetrating radar, on the other hand, uses radio waves to map the area beneath Stonehenge. Measurements were done based on the radio waves, and how they bounce and reflected off of the solid objects below ground.
When combined the two methods were able to accurately map numerous patterns that would have been otherwise unknown. The magnetometer has to be moving at least 20 mph to accurately capture the images, as it measures passive magnetic wave. The ground-penetrating radar needs to be used while walking, as it takes longer for the information to process.
Under stonehenge
In the ground beneath Stonehenge are at least 17 other monuments created at approximately the same time, though some of the scientists believe these new discoveries predate Stonehenge by at least 500 years. The subterranean discovery also revealed signs of pits and ditches that could have been used to hold the wooden or stone henges.
The new monuments are believed to have acted as inspiration for Stonehenge itself. This discovery further cements the idea that these monuments were used for some sort of pagan ceremony.
None of these discoveries would have been made without the radar and GPS technology used by the archaeologists. The images from the excavation reveal shrines in a similar circular shape as Stonehenge. For example, one of the monuments lines up with Stonehenge in a way that they are aligned with the sunrise and sunset of the mid-summer solstice.
New technology
The best part about this technology is that no landmarks were damaged throughout the process. It’s important to remember that Stonehenge is as World Heritage site. As a preserved piece of cultural importance, archaeologists are very limited with the excavations that can be performed there. Instead of trying to dig around the monument while disturbing as little of it as possible, the scientists could use the system to map the area below ground without damaging either Stonehenge itself or the monuments below ground.
This innovative technology means big things in the years to come. This process saves time and money, while also ensuring fewer disturbances to the excavation sites. Though machines such as metal detectors can help search for items below ground, being able to map out the world below can be used for a wide range of industries.
Imagine being able to visit a World Heritage Site and being able to see these patterns for yourself. This technology could reveal hidden wonders at many other archeological spots, older buildings or even parts of the ocean once it gets developed further. It would still be tricky to use in largely populated areas at the moment, what with underground pipes, Internet lines, and other man-made contraptions cluttering the underground. However, should the technology become more developed and readily available, it could even be used to examine the ground beneath your own home.
Even from an environmental standpoint, this technology could do a lot to preserve the earth. Rather than destroying land by mining or digging, ground-penetrating radar or magnetometry could possibly be used to examine the land for goods before damaging it.
Though this technology isn’t being used commercially at the moment, who knows where it will be five years from now. It seems only fitting that Stonehenge, one of the first archeological wonders and the first place to be the subject of aerial photography, is the first place to benefit from these modern techniques.
These new discoveries led to even more questions than before — but, with this technology only getting better, the opportunities for answers may arrive sooner than we’d ever expect.
