WEEK 10 - Modern Monuments + Concrete Flashcards
What Is the Significance of Stonehenge?
- Located on Salisbury Plain, west of London, U.K.
- One of over 200 standing stone installations in Europe.
- The purpose and function of Stonehenge remain a mystery.
How Was the First Version of Stonehenge Constructed?
- Built around 3000 B.C.E.
- Consisted of a ditch and surrounding banks.
- Featured a ring of 56 small pits called Aubrey Holes, possibly used for wooden posts.
What Was Added to The First Stonehenge Around 2900 B.C.E.?
- “Bluestones” were installed at the center of Stonehenge.
- Bluestones are blue-grey, intrusive igneous rock called diabase (similar to gabbro).
- Diabase contains larger white spots of plagioclase feldspar.
Where Did the Bluestones for Stonehenge Come From?
Bluestones (diabase) were quarried in Wales.
Charcoal found at the site dates to ~3400 B.C.
The bluestones were likely dragged 250 km southeast to Stonehenge.
A ~500-year time gap exists between the quarry age and the estimated arrival of bluestones at Stonehenge, with no simple explanation for this delay.
Archaeological excavation has revealed the bluestone quarry in Wales.
How Were the Bluestones Transported to Stonehenge? (Alternative Theory)
Option 1: It’s believed the diabase bluestones were quarried in Wales and dragged 250 km southeast to Stonehenge.
Problem: There is a ~500 year gap between when the stones were quarried and when they arrived at Stonehenge.
Excavation: Archaeological digs in Wales have confirmed the source of the diabase.
What are Sarsen Stones at Stonehenge?
- Sarsen stones are blocks of hard sandstone.
- They were used in the later stages of Stonehenge’s construction (~2300 B.C.E.).
How Were Sarsen Stones Arranged at Stonehenge?
Sarsen stones were arranged in two main formations:
- Inner “horseshoe”
- Outer Sarsen Circle
Where Did the Sarsen Stones Come From?
The sarsen stones were likely sourced from Marlsborough Downs, about 30 km north of Stonehenge.
What Are Trilithons at Stonehenge?
Trilithons are three-stone structures formed by two upright sarsen stones with a horizontal lintel on top.
What Happened During the Rearrangement of Bluestones at Stonehenge?
Bluestones were rearranged during later stages of construction.
A bluestone oval was constructed within the sarsen horseshoe.
A bluestone circle was constructed between the sarsen horseshoe and sarsen circle.
Additional bluestone blocks were added beyond the main stone arrangement (e.g., heel stone).
What Happened at Stonehenge Around 1600 B.C.E?
- Two rings of pits were dug around the stone arrangement.
- The function of these pits remains unknown.
What is the Slaughter Stone?
A large, fallen stone located between the central monument and the Heel Stone, east of the main alignment.
What is the Significance of the Slaughter Stone?
- Its name comes from the (incorrect) belief that it was used for sacrifices.
- The red color in the hollows on its surface was once thought to be blood, but this is incorrect.
What Happened to Stonehenge Over Time?
- Stonehenge has suffered damage over time, with many of the lintels falling from their original positions.
- It was likely constructed and rearranged by different groups throughout its history.
What Did Stonehenge Look Like in 1000 B.C.E.?
Likely appeared differently than it does today, with some of the stones and structures rearranged or missing.
What Was the Stonehenge Incident in “This is Spinal Tap”?
In the movie This is Spinal Tap, David St. Hubbins humorously discusses a “slight error” in the dimensions of a Stonehenge monument built for their concert stage.
He jokingly claims that the real problem was not that the band was down, but that the monument was too small and at risk of being crushed by a dwarf, downplaying the monument’s supposed hugeness.
Was Stonehenge Built to Mark the Sun’s Position?
A popular interpretation suggests that the standing stones were arranged to mark the sun’s position at different times of the year, like during the summer solstice.
What Does the Horseshoe of Sarsen Stones Represent?
It’s pointed toward the sunrise during the summer solstice, possibly to track the sun’s movement.
What Were the Heel Stones Used For?
The two heel stones likely bracketed the position of the sunrise during the summer solstice.
What Are the Black Hills?
An upwarped structure, meaning they have been pushed upward.
What Lies Beneath the Black Hills?
The Black Hills are underlain by mica schist, a type of metamorphic rock.
What Is at the Centre of the Black Hills?
A granite intrusion, which is a mass of granite that has pushed into surrounding rocks.
What Surrounds the Black Hills?
Flanking the Black Hills are sedimentary layers ranging in age from Paleozoic to Cenozoic.
What Is Mount Rushmore Carved From?
From a granite batholith, which was intruded into mica schist
NOTE: the granite batholith was intruded about 1.7 billion years ago, during the early Proterozoic era.
