#Stonehenge: Present-day facts often started off as theories

Newton, Darwin and Einstein’s enormous contributions to humanity’s knowledge and wellbeing started off as theories, which were then shaped into facts.

In 1998, Mike Parker Pearson and Ramilisonia theorised that there was a ceremonial way linking Durrington Walls with Stonehenge (linking the “land of the living” with the “land of the dead”). This theory was met with considerable scepticism but in 2005, Mike’s team excavated a 30 metre wide specially constructed flint “roadway” leading from Durrington Walls to the River Avon (in line with the midwinter sunrise). Then in 2008, they discovered Bluestonehenge further downstream, and this then linked up in a long ‘ceremonial way’ to join the (previously known) Avenue straight into Stonehenge (in alignment with the midwinter sunset). These two discoveries (and an enormous amount of painstaking work!) proved that the original theory was correct.

Mike now has an exciting new theory about the importance of western burial grounds to Stonehenge. This can be found in his written representation dated 3 Jan 2019. For example, he says “dating to before Stonehenge, the long barrows’ distribution may have a bearing on why Stonehenge was located where it is” and “may be related to the one or more stages in the construction and use of Stonehenge”. Suffice to say that the western burial grounds are crucial to discovering a lot more new information about Stonehenge.

A lot of great discoveries started out as theories which later turn out to be true. We think that a lot of archaeologists would trust Mike’s judgement and vast experience and say that, IF the tunnel is approved, then it will plough through the western burial grounds and much of Stonehenge’s fascinating history will be lost………forever!