The experts have concluded that “50 of the 52 sarsen stones at Stonehenge were probably sourced from West Woods”, about 15 miles north on the edge of … This data acted like a fingerprint and helped the team match the megaliths to the specific geology of stones found in the West Woods. "Archaeologists and geologists have been debating where the sarsen stones used to build Stonehenge came from for more than four centuries," said Nash.
“It must have been a real undertaking. "This significant new data will help explain more of how the monument was constructed and, perhaps, offer insights into the routes by which the 20- to 30-tonne stones were transported." "The research team used geochemical data to show that 50 of the 52 sarsen stones at Stonehenge share a consistent chemistry and by inference originated from a common source area," University of Brighton professor David Nash studies a core sample from a Stonehenge sarsen stone.The scientists used a core sample extracted from one of the sarsen stones in 1958 as a clue. Nash said they were surprised that stones from West Woods, which in the time of Stonehenge was probably treeless open high ground, turned out to be an exact match.“We weren’t really setting out to find the source of Stonehenge,” he said. They also studied the stones on site. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. “We picked 20 areas and our goal was to try to eliminate them, to find ones that didn’t match. Prehistoric builders of Stonehenge moved the giants from 15 miles away. Stones in Wiltshire woodland found to be exact match for majority of site’s sarsensToday West Woods in Wiltshire is a popular spot for hikers, dog walkers and mountain bikers, famed for its bluebells in the springtime. Get the latest science stories from CNET every week.
One suggestion favoured by Nash is that they may have moved a few miles west then south through the Vale of Pewsey, possibly passing close to neolithic sites at Marden and Knapp Hill. It has been known by many names in the past, including "Friar's Heel" and "Sun-stone". It is a rough stone, 16 feet (4.9 m) above ground, leaning inwards towards the stone circle. How they did it remains a mystery.
Archaeologists have finally discovered where the largest standing stones in Stonehenge come from, and it's all thanks to a restoration worker who kept … Welsh scientist Brian John claims that the stones of Stonehenge were already on … Scientists track down origin of Stonehenge's mysterious big stones. Experts had worked on the puzzle for four centuries and concluded they were probably from north Wiltshire but had not found the precise spot.They then analysed sarsens from 20 sites across southern England including Mutter’s Moor in Devon and Valley of the Stones in Dorset, comparing their composition with the chemistry of the chips.