The Altar Stone is the largest of the stone circle's 'bluestones'. It was previously thought to be sourced from a site in west Wales but new research has cast doubt on that.
In the paper, experts say considering the Altar Stone as a"bluestone" has influenced the long-held view it came from Wales.
They now say the stone should be"de-classified" as such, breaking the link to bluestones derived from the Preseli hills.Professor Nick Pearce, one of the paper's authors, told Sky News the Altar Stone, referred to as Stone 80, is an anomaly and should be considered separate. "The view in terms of the conclusions we've drawn from this is that it doesn't come from Wales and maybe we should remove the Altar Stone from that grouping of bluestones and consider it independently," he said.
The Altar Stone, a sandstone, has an unusually high level of barium compared to other similar sandstones, which may be helpful in finding its source, and Professor Pearce thinks the research will lead to a change in mindset when considering Stonehenge.
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