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

10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103697

2352-409X

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

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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).

Record type: Article

Abstract

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Reconstructing extraction techniques at Stonehenge v3 - Accepted Manuscript

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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

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