Scientists Uncover Ancient Pit Circle Near England's Prehistoric Monument
A groundbreaking study has confirmed that Neolithic humans created an enormous pit circle near one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments, Stonehenge. The discovery was made possible by a cutting-edge combination of archaeological techniques and technologies.
The pit circle, which stretches over 1.5 miles in diameter, is considered one of the largest prehistoric structures ever discovered in Britain. It consists of numerous pits, some as deep as five meters and wide enough to require significant engineering skills to excavate. The site's massive size suggests that its creators needed to keep track of their position, possibly as a means of numerically counting.
In 2020, the existence of this vast structure was first revealed, sparking debate among experts about whether it could have been created naturally or by human hands. However, a team of archaeologists has now used advanced methods to prove that the pits were indeed crafted by Neolithic people over 4,000 years ago.
The researchers employed a range of techniques, including electrical resistance tomography and radar, to map the site's layout and assess its depth. They also extracted sediment cores from various parts of the circle and analyzed them using optically stimulated luminescence and "sedDNA" to date the soil directly.
According to Prof Vincent Gaffney, lead researcher on the project, these advanced methods revealed repeating patterns in the soil that cannot be explained naturally. The scientists are now confident that humans created this massive structure, which is believed to have been built during the late Neolithic period.
While the purpose of the pit circle remains a mystery, Gaffney speculates that it may have been linked to a belief in an underworld or cosmology. If this is the case, it would provide significant insights into the spiritual and cultural practices of the people who created Stonehenge.
The discovery has sent shockwaves through the archaeological community, with many experts hailing it as one of the most significant finds in recent years. As Gaffney noted, "If it's going to happen anywhere in Britain, it's going to happen at Stonehenge."
A groundbreaking study has confirmed that Neolithic humans created an enormous pit circle near one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments, Stonehenge. The discovery was made possible by a cutting-edge combination of archaeological techniques and technologies.
The pit circle, which stretches over 1.5 miles in diameter, is considered one of the largest prehistoric structures ever discovered in Britain. It consists of numerous pits, some as deep as five meters and wide enough to require significant engineering skills to excavate. The site's massive size suggests that its creators needed to keep track of their position, possibly as a means of numerically counting.
In 2020, the existence of this vast structure was first revealed, sparking debate among experts about whether it could have been created naturally or by human hands. However, a team of archaeologists has now used advanced methods to prove that the pits were indeed crafted by Neolithic people over 4,000 years ago.
The researchers employed a range of techniques, including electrical resistance tomography and radar, to map the site's layout and assess its depth. They also extracted sediment cores from various parts of the circle and analyzed them using optically stimulated luminescence and "sedDNA" to date the soil directly.
According to Prof Vincent Gaffney, lead researcher on the project, these advanced methods revealed repeating patterns in the soil that cannot be explained naturally. The scientists are now confident that humans created this massive structure, which is believed to have been built during the late Neolithic period.
While the purpose of the pit circle remains a mystery, Gaffney speculates that it may have been linked to a belief in an underworld or cosmology. If this is the case, it would provide significant insights into the spiritual and cultural practices of the people who created Stonehenge.
The discovery has sent shockwaves through the archaeological community, with many experts hailing it as one of the most significant finds in recent years. As Gaffney noted, "If it's going to happen anywhere in Britain, it's going to happen at Stonehenge."
So I was reading about this new discovery near Stonehenge and I gotta say its mind blown. I mean, 1.5 miles of pits is massive. Im wondering if they were used for some sort of ceremony or ritual. Like, how did the ancient Brits keep track of their position? It makes sense that they had some way to count, but still. Its not like they had clocks or anything. 
And the fact that its been confirmed by so many different methods is really reassuring. I guess its safe to say we learned something new about our ancient ancestors today. 
! The thought that Neolithic humans created a massive pit circle near Stonehenge is wild 
. I mean, can you even imagine having to measure out a 1.5 mile diameter structure using only sticks and rocks? 
That's some serious engineering skills right there 
. And the fact that they used soil samples to prove it's human-made is genius 
. Now we're talking about the spiritual significance of this pit circle, I'm intrigued 
. Maybe one day we'll uncover more secrets about our ancient ancestors' ways #AncientSecrets #PitCircleMystery
And what about the whole 'sedDNA' thing? Is that even a real thing? I need to see some credible research on that before I start believing in ancient underground cosmology... 
I'm blown away by this discovery! The thought of those ancient humans creating something so massive is mind-blowing. It just goes to show that our ancestors were capable of incredible feats, but we still have so much to learn from them...
i mean ill take the idea of numerically counting over any ancient spiritual beliefs any day lol. the tech they used is pretty impressive tho, didnt know that "sedDNA" was a thing 