Stonehenge: A New Interpretation of Prehistoric Man and the CosmosSimon and Schuster, 1996 - 609 pages Stonehenge has fascinated mankind for centuries, enveloping generation after generation in its haunting mystery. But while much has been learned about this ancient monument, the fundamental questions remain: Who built it? What was its purpose? How was it used? Drawing on more than 15 years of research, John North has at last succeeded where others have failed. He comprehensively examines Stonehenge from all available angles -- archeological, astronomical, and spiritual -- and considers relevant research from other prehistoric remains in Britain and Northern Europe. He shows, for the first time, that the stones were not so much sighting devices as maps of the heavens and that the design of the monument evolved over thousands of years rather than conforming to a single original blueprint. Such observations form the basis of deductions about prehistoric life and religion that will profoundly affect our understanding of who we are and where we came from. |
Contents
THE LONG BARROWS | 13 |
CURSUS AND ENCLOSURE | 138 |
STARS IN CHALK | 189 |
SUN AND MOON | 221 |
AVENUE AND ROW | 228 |
TREEHENGE AND AUBREY CIRCLE | 281 |
THE GREAT TREEHENGES | 345 |
STONEHENGE ASTRONOMY | 393 |
THE FIRST THREE STONEHENGES | 434 |
LOZENGE AND CALENDAR | 503 |
RITUAL AND BELIEF | 519 |
APPENDIX 1Radiocarbon Dating | 551 |
APPENDIX 3Tables of Directions | 570 |
APPENDIX 5The Rising and Setting of Venus | 576 |
BIBLIOGRAPHY | 585 |
597 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Aldebaran alignments Altar Stone altitude approximately Arcturus artificial horizon astronomical Aubrey circle Aubrey holes Avebury axis azimuth bank bluestone Britain burial centre century chalk chamber cross cursus Deneb diameter direction ditch Durrington Walls earlier east edge entrance evidence example excavated extreme façade fact figure Fussell's Lodge geometrical gradient Harenermolen Heel Stone height henge Horslip idea Kennet Avenue later latitude lines of sight lintels long barrow lozenge lunar major standstills Megalithic Yard midsummer midwinter Sun millennium monument mortuary house mound natural horizon Neolithic northeast northern observer pair perhaps period position possible post holes precise prehistoric probably radiocarbon dates ridge Rigel right angles rising and setting ritual rows sarsen sarsen ring seems seen shown side sight lines Sirius Skendleby Slaughter Stone solar solstice southern stars Stonehenge structure Sun and Moon timber tomb trilithons uprights viewing Wayland's Smithy West Kennet Woodhenge