# Details of Stonehenge Village



## Gwillion (Jan 30, 2007)

From National Geographic News:




> The Late Stone Age village—the largest ever found in—was excavated in September 2006 at Durrington Walls, the world's largest known "henge," a type of circular earthwork. A giant timber circle once stood at Durrington, which is 1.75 miles (2.8 kilometers) from the celebrated circle of standing stones on Salisbury Plain.
> 
> At Durrington the archaeologists discovered foundations of houses dating back to 4,600 years ago —around the time construction began on Stonehenge.
> 
> ...


There are more details on the National Geographic New site, including evidence that people came to visit from as far away as the "foothills of the European Alps". 

I can't post a link because I'm still a newbie, but it's from today's news.


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## Rosemary (Jan 30, 2007)

Thank you for the article.  That's certainly very interesting Gwillion.  One of my favourite places in history.

Up until the henge was built in stone, they used wooden structures on which to place the corpse.  Perhaps one of these were the 'shrines' which Thomas mentions.


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## mosaix (Jan 30, 2007)

Stone Henge, one of those places that, for me, being there places you right _in history. _It somehow puts you in direct contact with the people that built and used it. It make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.


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## j d worthington (Jan 31, 2007)

Here you go, folks:

Stonehenge Settlement Found: Builders' Homes, "Cult Houses"


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## Gwillion (Jan 31, 2007)

Thank you for putting the link up for me!

I really must get my post count up a bit. Trouble is there's so many interesting things to read on this site that it's kept me too busy to contribute much!


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## j d worthington (Jan 31, 2007)

You're quite welcome. Here's the AP story, as well. Doesn't really add anything, but just in case someone's interested:

Remains of village found near Stonehenge - Yahoo! News

And, in case the link goes down (as they are sometimes wont to do), it's titled "Remains of village found near Stonehenge", and is datelined Tues., Jan. 30.

Thank you for posting about it in the first place!


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## Talysia (Jan 31, 2007)

I read about this on teletext first, and although I wasn't surprised there was a settlement there, I was shocked by the size.  Mind you, the settlement would have had to have been large in order to cope with the logistics, but for its time, it would have been impressive.


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## Rane Longfox (Jan 31, 2007)

Having lived near Stonehenge for about 14 years, the only thing I'm suprised about is that it took them so long to find - they always seem to be digging up some hillside or other...


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## j d worthington (Jan 31, 2007)

Rane Longfox said:


> Having lived near Stonehenge for about 14 years, the only thing I'm suprised about is that it took them so long to find - they always seem to be digging up some hillside or other...


 
I'd agree with that. It really is odd that this is only now being found (or at least, systematically studied). But it does make for fascinating reading now...


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## Rane Longfox (Jan 31, 2007)

Absolutely. They still know virtually nothing as to how or why the thing was built. I would imagine these settlements will shed a lot more light on that - people are always more informative than things, archeologically.


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## The Ace (Jan 31, 2007)

Yes, if you say "Stone age," the classic (and completely wrong impression) is of hairy morons hitting each other with clubs.  Neolithic societies were immensely sophisticated, as Stonehenge proves. To bring that number of people together keep them fed, housed, doctored and cooperating required an immense feat of logistics.  What gets me is this guff about the druids, to whom this site would have been ancient history.


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