Archaeologists investigate Stonehenge

On Monday, archaeologists began a two-week dig at Stonehenge.

Professor Geoff Wainwright and Professor Tim Darvill, who are in charge of the excavation, are trying to ascertain exactly when England's best known stone circle was constructed.

The archaeologists believe that the first stones to be placed at Stonehenge were the Welsh bluestones, which are much smaller than the main sarsen stones. They were transported from Carn Menyn, which is 200 miles away, in Wales. In that area the blue stones were associated with healing magic.

Previous archaeological digs at Stonehenge have discovered human bones showing evidence of disease or injury and the professors believe Stonehenge may originally have been a place of healing.

Previous theories about Stonehenge have considered it as a place of death and sacrifice - and I have to say I have always felt something violent and threatening in the energy at the stones - so it will be interesting to see what the new dig unearths.

The BBC is covering the dig each day on its website and will be showing a Timewatch special about it later in the year.

For more information, visit:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7322753.stm
www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/stonehenge/

The image of Stonehenge was supplied by Freefoto.com