Reconstructing extraction techniques at Stonehenge’s bluestone megalith quarries in the Preseli hills of west Wales
Reconstructing extraction techniques at Stonehenge’s bluestone megalith quarries in the Preseli hills of west Wales
Excavations at two of the sources of Stonehenge’s bluestones in Mynydd Preseli, west Wales, have led to the discovery of stone tools associated with megalith quarrying in the final centuries of the fourth millennium BC, shortly before the suspected date of the bluestones’ erection at Stonehenge, 240 km away. Among the most plentiful of these tools are stone wedges, three of which were found in situ at the rhyolite bluestone quarry of Craig Rhos-y-felin. Two of these were positioned in the joints of a rhyolite pillar adjacent to a recess left by a removed pillar. Geochemical analysis reveals that these and the third wedge are of compositions different to the rock on either side of the cracks into which they had been driven, confirming their identification as quarrying tools. This research sheds new light on the methods used to extract the stones for Stonehenge.
Dolerite, Megalith quarries, Mynydd Preseli, Neolithic, Rhyolite, Stonehenge
Parker Pearson, Mike
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Bevins, Richard
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Pearce, Nick
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Ixer, Rob
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Pollard, Josh
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Richards, Colin
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Welham, Kate
157bf10f-e048-48d5-afba-7470923c08ab
6 November 2022
Parker Pearson, Mike
cd0f9361-0def-46ea-b4e5-e1c7a2581f98
Bevins, Richard
42aaac9d-6deb-4e82-9b90-738ee1e46bd4
Pearce, Nick
8a530fcc-8011-47f7-bf82-419066e98012
Ixer, Rob
bbc341cd-a7b1-4531-b800-fc41e7339e6c
Pollard, Josh
5080faff-bc2c-4d27-b702-e40a5eb40761
Richards, Colin
04df1dfa-3d2d-4d03-beec-8007837d2b2b
Welham, Kate
157bf10f-e048-48d5-afba-7470923c08ab
Parker Pearson, Mike, Bevins, Richard, Pearce, Nick, Ixer, Rob, Pollard, Josh, Richards, Colin and Welham, Kate
(2022)
Reconstructing extraction techniques at Stonehenge’s bluestone megalith quarries in the Preseli hills of west Wales.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 46, [103697].
(doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103697).
Abstract
Excavations at two of the sources of Stonehenge’s bluestones in Mynydd Preseli, west Wales, have led to the discovery of stone tools associated with megalith quarrying in the final centuries of the fourth millennium BC, shortly before the suspected date of the bluestones’ erection at Stonehenge, 240 km away. Among the most plentiful of these tools are stone wedges, three of which were found in situ at the rhyolite bluestone quarry of Craig Rhos-y-felin. Two of these were positioned in the joints of a rhyolite pillar adjacent to a recess left by a removed pillar. Geochemical analysis reveals that these and the third wedge are of compositions different to the rock on either side of the cracks into which they had been driven, confirming their identification as quarrying tools. This research sheds new light on the methods used to extract the stones for Stonehenge.
Text
Reconstructing extraction techniques at Stonehenge v3
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 20 October 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 6 November 2022
Published date: 6 November 2022
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
The excavations at Craig Rhos-y-felin were made possible by the kind permission of Dilys Davies and the late Huw Davies who have provided every assistance over many years of our research in the Preselis. Alexander Hawkesworth and the Barony of Cemaes’ land agents gave permission for excavation at Carn Goedog, together with Natural Resources Wales. We also thank staff of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for their help during the investigation of both sites. MPP thanks Chris Scarre and especially Emmanuel Mens for their help and advice concerning French megalith quarries. We also thank the two anonymous referees and the editor for improving this contribution. Whilst the archaeological excavations were funded by numerous bodies, this research on the stone wedges did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Keywords:
Dolerite, Megalith quarries, Mynydd Preseli, Neolithic, Rhyolite, Stonehenge
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 484541
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/484541
ISSN: 2352-409X
PURE UUID: 79617517-e057-4773-86e1-e858bc9b66fc
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Date deposited: 16 Nov 2023 14:47
Last modified: 06 Nov 2024 05:01
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Contributors
Author:
Mike Parker Pearson
Author:
Richard Bevins
Author:
Nick Pearce
Author:
Rob Ixer
Author:
Colin Richards
Author:
Kate Welham
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