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Stonehenge Started As An Earthwork Not A Stone Circle
- Stonehenge began as an earthwork with a bank and ditch around 3100 BCE long before the iconic stones were added.
- The earliest stone phase used locally sourced sarsen stones later; the first erected ring was smaller "bluestones" possibly moved from far away.
Bluestones Suggest Long Distance Connections
- "Bluestones" were a distinct earlier phase at Stonehenge and may have been transported from Wales 150–200 miles.
- Strontium isotope evidence links some cremated individuals at Stonehenge to Wales, supporting long-distance connections.
Trilithons Used Local Sarsen Stones
- The famous trilithons use large local sarsen sandstone, not the bluestones, indicating multiple construction stages.
- Sarsens are common near Stonehenge, explaining why the largest balancing stones are local.