Scientists believed for more than a century that Stonehenge's central sandstone slab came from close to Wales, but new research shows that it matches sandstone formations of Scotland.
The ancient ritual meaning of Stonehenge is still a mystery, but researchers are one step closer to understanding how the famous stone circle was created. The unique stone lying flat at the center of the monument was brought to the site in southern England from near the tip of northeast Scotland, researchers reported Wednesday in the journal Nature. It’s not clear whether the 16-foot stone was carried by boat or through land — a journey of more than 460 miles .
Previous research has shown cultural connections — such as similarities in pottery styles — between the area around Stonehenge and Scotland’s Orkney Islands. Other stones at Stonehenge came from western Wales. While Britain is dotted with other Neolithic stone circles, 'the thing that’s unique about Stonehenge is the distance from which the stones have been sourced,' said Aberystwyth University’s Richard Bevins, a study co-author.
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