Of all the great ruins in the world, Stonehenge is unique. No other monument created by our ancestors can match the aurora created by these monolithic stones. Stonehenge is so old that its history was probably forgotten before the classical times. When viewed for the first time, the stones inspire awe and wonder. These two emotions have been caused by this structure throughout history. Awe due to the sheer size of the construction and wonder pertaining to the creation and purpose of this massive testimonial of our ancestors. Was it a temple to a god? Maybe it was a site of gruesome Druid sacrifices? The answer to these questions is no. Stonehenge was a computer.
Stonehenge is generally regarded to have three phases of construction, the first occurring around 2000 B.C. About this time, people from the surrounding area dug a huge circular ditch and used the removed earth to create two mounds on either side. To do this they used a combination of stone and bone tools. These three circles were left open at the northeast to create an entrance to the enclosure. Within the opening two holes were dug that may have held two upright stones at one point. About a hundred feet out from the entrance the now famous "heel stone- was placed. Within all of this, a perfect circle of 56 perfectly separated holes (the Aubrey holes) were dug and refilled with chalk. Finally, four "station- stones that create a perfect rectangle oriented perpendicular to the heel stone. They are so located that each side and one diagonal have an astronomical significance (Hawkins 20-60). .
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The second wave of construction began around 1750 B.C. In this phase, 82 bluestones, each weighing about 5 tons, were brought to the site and positioned to create to circles within the previous earthworks. As well, a 2-mile Avenue was created linking the entrance to the nearby river Avon. For an unknown reason, the circles were left unfinished.
