Stonehenge breakthrough as experts unveil ‘real reason’ monument was built

The purpose of the historical Stonehenge landmark has remained a mystery for thousands of years, yet researchers claim they now know the meaning behind it.

Experts believe that was created using rocks from around ancient Britain as a symbol of unity against foreign invaders. 

The iconic site was constructed during an influx of immigrants to England from mainland Europe such as Germany and the Netherlands. The monument is now believed to hold political significance to unite Britons. 

The new theory has emerged following the groundbreaking discovery of the distinctive altars tone originating from north-east Scotland, rather than Wales. 

This means the boulder would have travelled over 430 miles from Scotland to England, arriving around 2,500BC. 

The study’s lead author from the University College London’s Institute of Archaeology, Prof Mike Parker Pearson, said Stonehenge’s design makes it “unique among over 900 stone circles in Britain”.

Speaking to The Telegraph, he said it suggested “the stone circle may have had a political as well as a religious purpose – as a monument of unification for the peoples of Britain, celebrating their eternal links with their ancestors and the cosmos”.

“Stonehenge stands out in being a material and monumental microcosm of the entirety of the British Isles,” Prof Parker Pearson said.

The 43 ‘bluestones’ of the monument are believed to have been brought from west Wales, travelling about 140 miles to reach its location. The larger ‘sarsen’ stones were carried from at least 15 miles away to the north and east of the site. 

Prof Parker Pearson said: “We’ve known for a while that people came from many different parts of Britain with their pigs and cattle to feast at Durrington Walls, and nearly half the people buried at Stonehenge had lived somewhere other than Salisbury Plain.

“The similarities in architecture and material culture between the Stonehenge area and northern Scotland now make more sense.”

Co-author from Aberystwyth University, Prof Richard Bevins, looked into the geology of the stones.

He said to The Telegraph: “Our research is like forensic science. We are a small team of earth scientists, each bringing their own area of expertise; it is this combination of skills that has allowed us to identify the sources of the bluestones, and now the altar stone.”

Numerous theories surrounding the building of Stonehenge have circulated for years, with theories ranging from it being a temple to being used as a solar calendar. However, the new knowledge indicated it being a monument for unity against invaders.