Around 20 enormous pits, arranged in a circular formation, were created during the late Neolithic period. Research indicates that they are over 4,000 years old.
According to a team of archaeologists, these mysterious pits, dug by Neolithic people near , were initially excavated and then filled in. Despite this, scientists were able to discover and study this intriguing structure thanks to a combination of cutting-edge scientific methods.
The circle of pits encircles the ancient walls of Durrington and the Woodhenge site. The pits, averaging 10 meters wide and 5 meters deep, likely served both ritualistic and protective functions. While the architects of Stonehenge looked to the heavens when constructing their grand monument, the creators of the Durrington circle were probably more interested in the underworld. Researchers believe that the circle may symbolize a belief in this subterranean realm and also serve to protect the territory of Stonehenge.
Woodhenge site with the circle of pits
Scientists believe that the ancient builders required persistence, strength, and engineering skills to excavate the pits in the chalky soil.
The existence of the circle of pits was first discovered by researchers in 2020, who described it as the largest prehistoric structure ever found in Britain. However, it was only recently that archaeologists were able to thoroughly investigate the site, armed with state-of-the-art technology, as reported by The Guardian.
Scientists suggested that this structure could be an early indication of numerical counting. The large size of the circle implies that its creators had to somehow track their location during construction: the structure is too vast to have been built randomly, without any calculations.
An article titled “The Dangers of Pits,” published in the journal Internet Archaeology, details the research conducted over five years.
Professor Vincent Gaffney from the School of Archaeology and Forensic Science at the University of Bradford, who led the new study, believes that the pits form an extraordinary structure. “The exceptional size of the quarries required a new strategy for their investigation without the need for large-scale and very expensive . Since no single technology can answer all questions, several types of geophysical equipment were used to determine the size and shape of the pits,” noted Professor Gaffney.
Using electrical resistivity tomography, the team determined the depth of the pits, while ground-penetrating radar and magnetometry helped reveal their shape. Core samples of the sediment were extracted and analyzed using optically stimulated luminescence, allowing for dating of the soil from the last exposure to sunlight. The team also employed the sedDNA method, which helps extract from animals and plants in the soil.
Researchers found recurring patterns in the soil across different parts of this vast area. “This could not have occurred naturally. It simply cannot be,” asserts Gaffney.
The exact reasons for the creation of the pits remain unknown. However, Professor Gaffney suggested that they might be linked to a belief in the existence of an underworld. “Now that we are confident that the pits are a structure, we have a monumental site that captured the cosmology of the people of that time on Earth in a way we have never seen before. And if this was to happen anywhere in Britain, it happened right near Stonehenge.”
Photo: Unsplash
