Abstract

Why did Stonehenge become the monument we see today? And how did it function? Using archaeology, geology, and astronomy, this lecture by two of the world’s experts on the monument explored the development of the site from humble beginnings to the most elaborate stone circle in Britain. Welsh bluestones provided the rock that transformed its fortunes, and the daily and annual motions of the sun rolling across the sky provided critical points of reference for beliefs and practices helping to sustain everyday life in the busy cultural landscape that developed around it.