VOA文化艺术2024--Study: Stonehenge's 'Altar Stone' Came from Far Away Scotland

Researchers are one step closer to understanding how Britain's ancient circular structure, Stonehenge, was created.

The circle of huge rocks stands in southern England near the tip of northeast Scotland. Its so-called altar stone lies flat in the center. The new study finds that the huge altar stone did not come from nearby Wales as had been thought. The researchers say the rock instead was carried to the site from the more distant Scotland.

Nature magazine published the study on Wednesday. The research did not show how the five-meter-long stone was carried to the site. But the scientists said it traveled about 740 kilometers.

"It's a surprise that it's come from so far away," said University of Exeter archaeologist Susan Greaney, who was not involved in the study.

For more than a hundred years, scientists believed that Stonehenge's central sandstone slab¹ - long called the "altar stone" - came from much closer Wales. But a study last year by some of the researchers showed that the stone did not match the geology of Wales' sandstone formations. The actual source of the stone remained unknown until now.

For the study, the team tested mineral content in pieces of rock that had been collected in past digs. They found a match in the sandstone formations of Orcadian Basin in northeastern Scotland. The area includes parts of the end of the Scottish peninsula as well as the Orkney Islands.

"That geological 'fingerprint²' isn't repeated in any other area of sediment³ in the U.K.," said Aberystwyth University geologist⁴ Nick Pearce, one of the study writers.

Greaney said the operational complexity⁵ of moving the stone so far suggests a high level of planning, cooperation and cultural connection between these two parts of ancient Britain.

Stonehenge went up around 5,000 years ago. Its design creates a kind of "window" that fully⁶ frames the sun as it rises on the summer solstice. The ancient purpose of the altar stone remains⁷ a mystery.

"Stonehenge isn't a settlement site, but a place of ceremony...," said Heather Sebire, with English Heritage, an aid organization that cares for hundreds of historic British sites and structures. Sebire said that past archaeological digs had not uncovered evidence of daily living at Stonehenge.

Past research has shown cultural connections - such as similarities in pottery⁸ making - between the area around Stonehenge and Scotland's Orkney Islands. Other stones at Stonehenge came from western Wales.

Britain is home to other ancient stone circles. But, study writer Richard Bevins of Aberystwyth University says, "the thing that's unique about Stonehenge is the distance from which the stones have been sourced."

Words in This Story

match - v. to make or find the equal or the like of

peninsula - n. a piece of land nearly surrounded by water or sticking out into the water

geological - adj. of, relating to, or based on geology, a science that deals with the history of the earth and its life especially as recorded in rocks

sediment - n. the material from a liquid that settles to the bottom

solstice - n. either of the two points on the ecliptic at which its distance from the celestial⁹ equator is greatest and which is reached by the sun each year about June 21 and December 21

pottery - n. clayware, especially earthenware¹⁰ as distinguished¹¹ from porcelain¹² and stoneware and from brick and tile

unique - adj. being the only one; singular; unlike any other

1 slab   

n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上

参考例句：

• This heavy slab of oak now stood between the bomb and Hitler.这时笨重的橡木厚板就横在炸弹和希特勒之间了。
• The monument consists of two vertical pillars supporting a horizontal slab.这座纪念碑由两根垂直的柱体构成，它们共同支撑着一块平板。

2 fingerprint   

n.指纹；vt.取...的指纹

参考例句：

• The fingerprint expert was asked to testify at the trial.指纹专家应邀出庭作证。
• The court heard evidence from a fingerprint expert.法院听取了指纹专家的证词。

3 sediment   

n.沉淀，沉渣，沉积(物)

参考例句：

• The sediment settled and the water was clear.杂质沉淀后，水变清了。
• Sediment begins to choke the channel's opening.沉积物开始淤塞河道口。

4 geologist   

n.地质学家

参考例句：

• The geologist found many uncovered fossils in the valley.在那山谷里，地质学家发现了许多裸露的化石。
• He was a geologist,rated by his cronies as the best in the business.他是一位地质学家，被他的老朋友们看做是这门行当中最好的一位。

5 complexity   

n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物

参考例句：

• Only now did he understand the full complexity of the problem.直到现在他才明白这一问题的全部复杂性。
• The complexity of the road map puzzled me.错综复杂的公路图把我搞糊涂了。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 pottery   

n.陶器，陶器场

参考例句：

• My sister likes to learn art pottery in her spare time.我妹妹喜欢在空余时间学习陶艺。
• The pottery was left to bake in the hot sun.陶器放在外面让炎热的太阳烘晒焙干。

9 celestial   

adj.天体的；天上的

参考例句：

• The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn.玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
• Gravity governs the motions of celestial bodies.万有引力控制着天体的运动。

10 earthenware   

n.土器，陶器

参考例句：

• She made sure that the glassware and earthenware were always spotlessly clean.她总是把玻璃器皿和陶器洗刷得干干净净。
• They displayed some bowls of glazed earthenware.他们展出了一些上釉的陶碗。

11 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

12 porcelain   

n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的

参考例句：

• These porcelain plates have rather original designs on them.这些瓷盘的花纹很别致。
• The porcelain vase is enveloped in cotton.瓷花瓶用棉花裹着。