Stonehenge was surrounded by 17 other shrines, archaeologists found

London - The famous megalithic construction Stonehenge in southern England did not stand alone in the landscape; it was surrounded by at least 17 other sanctuaries. This surprising finding was reached by archaeologists who extensively mapped the surroundings of the Neolithic complex with the help of modern technologies. British media reported the discovery today.
Teams of archaeologists from the universities of Birmingham and Bradford, joined by experts from Vienna, examined the soil around Stonehenge using several methods. They mapped an area of 12 square kilometers, where they "peeked" up to three meters deep using instruments - a magnetometer, ground radar, and 3D laser scanner.
"This radically changes our view of Stonehenge. In the past, we thought Stonehenge was isolated, but that’s not the case... it was something enormous," described the discovery project leader Vince Gaffney. In addition to the foundations of 17 smaller or larger circular sanctuaries around the stone circle, archaeologists also discovered 60 giant stones or pillars, which were likely part of another Neolithic sanctuary, Durrington Walls.
While scanning the soil, experts also focused on various artificial mounds, ditches, burial sites, and remnants of wooden structures. Their significance will be further investigated.