Stonehenge

Stonehenge, located in Wiltshire, England, is one of the most famous monuments in the world. At first glance, Stonehenge seems to be nothing more than a circle of rocks; this definitely isn't the case. The true meaning of this ancient creation has been lost as the years have passed, but there are definitely many different theories. Some of these include: a temple for sun worship, a healing center, a burial site, and even a calendar!

The biggest stones, called sarsens, are over 30 feet tall and weigh 25 tons! The smaller of the stones weigh up to about 4 tons; they are called "bluestones." This name comes from the fact that these types of stones have a blueish tint to them when they are wet. How these massive rocks actually got to their current location is a mystery, although some believe that they were dragged all the way from Wales! It is truly unbelievable to think about.

Pride in Place
Stonehenge is a great symbol of pride in place. The British are very prideful of Stonehenge, even though they have no idea what the true purpose of it is. They are even going to move the road that is nearest to Stonehenge further away as to not disrupt the stones any more than they already have been. There is fear that the vibrations of the cars on the road are moving the stones from their original positions or even causing the stones to weaken in strength. I find it really great that the British are willing to go through such trouble in order to preserve Stonehenge. It really shows how prideful they are to have this amazing mystery a part of their history.

Tradition
There have been many cremation burials found at Stonehenge, which is why many people think Stonehenge's purpose was to be a burial site. Recent research has found that up to 240 people were buried here, making Stonehenge the largest neolithic burial site in Britain. This research found that the burials started taking place as far back as 5, 000 years ago. The history of burials being here at Stonehenge formed a tradition by having a long-lasting burial site with multiple generations of people being buried there. It is thought that the people buried at Stonehenge were noblemen, again showing tradition of commemorating the wealthy with an extravagant type of monument.

Reflection
I really enjoyed my trip to Stonehenge because I have always known a little about it but never thought it was a big deal. Now, though, after touring Stonehenge and learning of its history and mystery I think of it very differently. I enjoy mysteries and this one is huge! Stonehenge actually showed me that just because something seems small or irrelevant, it may not be. This site showed me that history is really important and is extremely influential.