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3 Stonehenge

The document discusses the origins and construction theories of Stonehenge, an ancient stone circle in England. It refutes the misconception that the Druids built it and presents alternative theories, including the involvement of the Beaker Folk and a legendary account involving Merlin and King Arthur. Additionally, a modern theory suggests that Stonehenge symbolizes the unification of Britain during a time of collaboration among its people.

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Heba Sahsah
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30 views1 page

3 Stonehenge

The document discusses the origins and construction theories of Stonehenge, an ancient stone circle in England. It refutes the misconception that the Druids built it and presents alternative theories, including the involvement of the Beaker Folk and a legendary account involving Merlin and King Arthur. Additionally, a modern theory suggests that Stonehenge symbolizes the unification of Britain during a time of collaboration among its people.

Uploaded by

Heba Sahsah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name Central Ideas of Text

Who Built Stonehenge?


DIRECTIONS: Read the passage. Identify the central
idea. Then, on a separate sheet of paper, write a short summary.

Stonehenge is an ancient circle of large, upright stones standing in the middle of a


plain in England. Historians and anthropologist have long speculated about who built
this structure and how they managed the construction. Some have mistakenly
attributed Stonehenge to the Druids, a Celtic priesthood that existed around 55 B.C.
The stones predate the Druids, though, by some 2,000 years and by the time of the
Druids they were probably already ruins. Additionally, the Druids worshipped in
forest temples and would not have needed a stone structure. Another explanation
for Stonehenge is that its construction was started in the late Neolithic period
(around 3000 BC) and finished by people who were part of an emerging economy at
the time. This “new” kind of people were called Beaker Folk because they drank from
pots and used metal. A third explanation for the construction of Stonehenge can be
found in the legend of King Arthur. Geoffrey of Monmouth, in his History of the Kings
of Britain, posits that the wizard Merlin brought the stones to the Salisbury Plain
from Ireland. According to Geoffrey, following a massacre of 300 British noblemen by
the Saxon leader, Hengest, the high king, Aurelius Ambrosius, wanted to create a
fitting memorial to the slain men. Merlin suggested they go to Ireland in order to
bring the Giant's Ring stone circle to Britain. As Geoffrey tells the story, the stones of
the Giant's Ring were originally brought from Africa to Ireland by giants, and were
used as a site for performing rituals and for healing. Led by King Uther and Merlin,
the expedition arrived at the spot in Ireland. Since the Britons were unable to move
the stones, Merlin transported them by magic and reassembled them in a great circle
around the mass grave of the murdered men. Most recently, in 2012, members of
the Stonehenge Riverside Project, announced their theory that Stonehenge marks
the “unification of Britain,” a point in time when people from across the island began
working together and living in similar domestic styles. The strength of this theory is
that it offers a plausible explanation for the labor and resources needed for the
transportation and construction of the bluestones.

Central Idea: ________________________________________________________

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