Experts claim to have unearthed proof that ancient Britons dug enormous pits around iconic Stonehenge monument in Neolithic era.
A team of archaeologists has used a groundbreaking combination of techniques to confirm the existence of these mysterious structures. According to Vincent Gaffney, a professor at the University of Bradford, the site is "extraordinary" and features a vast circle of over 20 pits stretching more than a mile across. The team's research suggests that some of these pits are as wide as 10 metres and five metres deep.
Digging such massive holes out of the chalky landscape would have required significant engineering skills and determination, implying that the people behind this construction were highly advanced for their time.
The discovery was first made in 2020, sparking debate among experts over whether the pits could have been formed naturally or artificially. However, a new paper published in Internet Archaeology presents conclusive evidence that the structures were indeed created by humans.
Using a range of innovative techniques such as electrical resistance tomography, radar, magnetometry, and sediment cores, the team has found repeating patterns in the soil that they believe confirm human involvement. Gaffney states, "They can't be occurring naturally. It just can't happen."
The researchers estimate that the pits were dug during the late Neolithic period, although the true purpose behind their construction remains a mystery. Some speculate that these structures may have been linked to ancient beliefs about an underworld, which would make them one of the most significant discoveries in British history.
Gaffney concludes, "Now that we're confident that the pits are a structure, we've got a massive monument inscribing the cosmology of the people at the time onto the land in a way we haven't seen before. If it's going to happen anywhere in Britain, it's going to happen at Stonehenge."
A team of archaeologists has used a groundbreaking combination of techniques to confirm the existence of these mysterious structures. According to Vincent Gaffney, a professor at the University of Bradford, the site is "extraordinary" and features a vast circle of over 20 pits stretching more than a mile across. The team's research suggests that some of these pits are as wide as 10 metres and five metres deep.
Digging such massive holes out of the chalky landscape would have required significant engineering skills and determination, implying that the people behind this construction were highly advanced for their time.
The discovery was first made in 2020, sparking debate among experts over whether the pits could have been formed naturally or artificially. However, a new paper published in Internet Archaeology presents conclusive evidence that the structures were indeed created by humans.
Using a range of innovative techniques such as electrical resistance tomography, radar, magnetometry, and sediment cores, the team has found repeating patterns in the soil that they believe confirm human involvement. Gaffney states, "They can't be occurring naturally. It just can't happen."
The researchers estimate that the pits were dug during the late Neolithic period, although the true purpose behind their construction remains a mystery. Some speculate that these structures may have been linked to ancient beliefs about an underworld, which would make them one of the most significant discoveries in British history.
Gaffney concludes, "Now that we're confident that the pits are a structure, we've got a massive monument inscribing the cosmology of the people at the time onto the land in a way we haven't seen before. If it's going to happen anywhere in Britain, it's going to happen at Stonehenge."
I'm like totally blown away by this discovery! Imagine digging massive pits around Stonehenge, it's like they had some serious engineering skills back then 
. And the fact that they're over a mile wide is mind-blowing 
. I wonder what they were trying to achieve or believe with these structures, maybe something about an underworld? 
It just goes to show that there's still so much to learn from history.
I'm intrigued by this discovery and can't wait to hear more about it.
like, whoa! the fact that they needed such epic engineering skills to dig 'em out is already mind-blowing 
and now it's clear that they were created by humans, not nature 
. this discovery is gonna be HUGE 
i mean, we're talkin' potentially game-changin' info about ancient Britain's cosmology 
but honestly, can't wait to learn more about it 
. I mean can you imagine the amount of planning and effort that went into creating something like this? It's not just a cool historical fact, but also a testament to the ingenuity of our ancestors 
.
. This discovery is definitely one for the books! 