Stonehenge: A New Interpretation of Prehistoric Man and the Cosmos

Front Cover
Simon 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
INDEX
597

STONEHENGEAN INVENTORY
409

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