Researchers from the British Geological Survey (BGS), Cardiff University, and University College London have examined a cow tooth intentionally left near the entrance of during its construction between 2995 and 2900 B.C. The team has uncovered new evidence of the transportation of building materials—specifically, the blue stones—over a distance of more than 200 kilometers from Wales to the Salisbury Plain in England.
It’s worth noting that the for Stonehenge were sourced from various locations. Large sarsen sandstone blocks were quarried in Wiltshire, specifically in West Woods, about 25 kilometers from the construction site. The blue stones were transported from Wales. Meanwhile, the massive altar stone of Stonehenge traveled approximately 750 kilometers, likely arriving from the northeast of Scotland by sea.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
The study of the cow’s third molar revealed that the animal began its life in Wales. This supports the theory that cows were used to transport the enormous stones. The cow’s jaw containing this tooth was discovered near a Neolithic site a century ago, leaving historians puzzled about how it ended up there.
Isotope analysis helped the team examine the levels of lead, strontium, carbon, and oxygen in the cow’s tooth, revealing that it was pregnant when it arrived at the Salisbury Plain. This was indicated by sharp spikes in lead isotope levels from late winter to spring, as reported by The Guardian. During pregnancy, the cow utilized lead that was already present in its skeleton, likely accumulated from the Paleozoic rocks, such as the blue stones in Wales that were transported for the construction of Stonehenge.
“This indicates that at a very early stage in its life, the cow incorporated lead into its skeleton, and this lead was sourced from ancient Paleozoic rocks, which are over 400 million years old. Such rocks are predominantly found in Wales, the closest source of lead, as well as in the Lake District and Scotland,” explained Professor Jane Evans, an honorary research fellow at BGS.
Thus, emerges as the closest region from which such lead composition can be obtained. This means that the analysis of the cow’s tooth proved that the animal was not born in the area of modern Wiltshire, England, where the jaw was found. It is likely that the cow grazed on older rock formations for some time. This leads to the conclusion that Wales is the most probable birthplace of the cow in its early life.
Until recently, archaeologists had not found evidence of using cattle as draft animals during the Neolithic era. However, one previous study indicated that the hoof structure of some cows suggests this possibility, said Professor Evans.
“I don’t know how long it takes to transport stones from Wales to Stonehenge, but it’s not an easy process. It requires significant support, including feeding the animals,” the researcher noted.
Carbon isotope analysis showed that the cow’s diet varied with the seasons. In winter, it fed on woodland forage, while in summer, it grazed in open pastures. Strontium isotope analysis confirmed that the seasonal food came from different geological zones, suggesting that the cow moved between them.
Michael Parker Pearson, a professor of late prehistoric at University College London, believes this is “yet another fascinating piece of evidence linking Stonehenge to southwest Wales.” He argues that we cannot dismiss “the intriguing possibility that cattle helped transport the stones.”
Richard Madwick, a professor of archaeology at Cardiff University, remarked: “Unprecedented new details about the animal’s distant origins and the arduous journey it undertook have been revealed. Often, studies of major archaeological sites focus on grand narratives, but this detailed biographical approach to a single animal has opened up an entirely new facet of Stonehenge’s history.”
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