New study finds parts of Stonehenge came from Scotland

A new study undertaken by experts worldwide has discovered that the altar stone, a large sandstone block in the centre of Stonehenge, came from Scotland.

It has been common knowledge for some time that Stonehenge was made up of stone from both the local area and Wales, in itself a journey of over 120 miles, but this discovery has changed what we know about Neolithic society.

The stone in question is not one of the famous lintel-topped Sarsen stones – these have been traced back to Wiltshire – but rather a huge sandstone block, around 5 metres long and weighing 6 tonnes that lies in the heart of the monument. It is mostly hidden beneath two of the sarsen stones, which have fallen over the years. It is the largest of the “bluestones”, the name given to the stones that came from outside of Wiltshire.

The experts found that this particular stone was an outlier differing from those that have been traced back to the Pembrokeshire area of Wales. Research into the chemical composition of the stone, eventually matched it to stones at the Orcadian Basin in North East Scotland, some 466 miles away from Stonehenge. Though it will take some time to locate the exact site, it is thought that the stone originated somewhere between Orkney and Inverness.

Speaking to reporters about the discovery, a representative from the study said: “[the discovery]… completely rewrites the relationships between the Neolithic populations of the whole of the British Isles. The science is beautiful and its remarkable, and it is going to be discussed for decades to come. It is jaw-dropping.”

The discovery does pose the questions of how and why the stone was transported over 400 miles. It suggests that people across Neolithic Britain were aware of Stonehenge and that those people were less isolated than we have originally believed. Experts on the Neolithic period suggest it is more likely that the stone was transported over land rather than via boat. This also raises more questions about the importance of Stonehenge and its uses.

It certainly suggests a much more enterprising society than we had originally believed.