What was Stonehenge for? Published theories

Topic page

A summary of published interpretations, using only published or open-access sources. None of these theories is settled. They are not mutually exclusive, and the literature cited here does not agree on any one of them.

References

• Parker Pearson, M. 2013. Researching Stonehenge: theories past and present. Archaeology International 16: 72–83. DOI (open access)
• Parker Pearson, M., Ramilisonina 1998. Stonehenge for the ancestors: the stones pass on the message. Antiquity 72(276): 308–326. DOI
• Parker Pearson, M., Chamberlain, A., Jay, M., Marshall, P., Pollard, J., Richards, C., Thomas, J., Tilley, C., Welham, K. 2009. Who was buried at Stonehenge? Antiquity 83(319): 23–39. DOI (open access)
• Darvill, T., Wainwright, G. 2009. Stonehenge excavations 2008. The Antiquaries Journal 89: 1–19. DOI (open access)
• Darvill, T. 2016. Houses of the holy: architecture and meaning in the structure of Stonehenge, Wiltshire, UK. Time and Mind 9(2): 89–121. DOI
• Darvill, T. 2022. Keeping time at Stonehenge. Antiquity 96(386): 319–335. DOI (open access)
• Magli, G., Belmonte, J.A. 2023. Archaeoastronomy and the alleged ‘Stonehenge calendar’. Antiquity 97(393): 745–751. DOI
• Darvill, T. 2023. Times they are a-changin’: a response to Magli and Belmonte. Antiquity 97(393): 752–754. DOI
• Darvill, T., Marshall, P., Parker Pearson, M., Wainwright, G. 2012. Stonehenge remodelled. Antiquity 86(334): 1021–1040. DOI (open access)
• Parker Pearson, M. 2012. Stonehenge: Exploring the Greatest Stone Age Mystery. London: Simon & Schuster. (As cited in Parker Pearson 2013, Archaeology International 16.)
• Daw, T. 2016-05. sarsen.org blog post "healing stonehenge". link (open access)
• Daw, T. 2016-06. sarsen.org blog post "prehistoric calendar revealed at". link (open access)
• Daw, T. 2012-12. sarsen.org blog post "stonehenge midwinter solstice sunrise". link (open access)

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Experimental, built for research bots; results are short quotes with sources. From Tim Daw's Stonehenge research notes; see sarsen.org. Search · All topics · llms.txt