Stonehenge, according to scientists, began as a cemetery for influential families

London - Beneath the stone landmark of Stonehenge, which lies in southern England, a giant burial site for influential families may have been built even earlier. British scientists claim that the burial site beneath this prehistoric structure dates back to around 3000 BC. A group of scientists studied cremated human remains and derived the age of the earlier landmark from them.
     A new study by British scientists has shown that a large stone circle was built at the site of Stonehenge about 500 years earlier.
     "There were men, women, and children. We therefore assume that entire families were present," said Mike Pearson from UCL in London. "We thought it might be a place where a dynasty of kings was buried; however, it looked more like a community, like another type of power structure," he added.
     According to Pearson, archaeologists studied the cremated bones of 63 individuals, and from the study results, they deduced that the remains were buried around 3000 BC. The locations of many cremated bodies were originally marked by blue stones. This earlier circular enclosure, which was approximately 91 meters across, might have been a cemetery for about 200 other individuals.
     The research was conducted by a team of academics from more than a dozen British universities, and among other things, it presented several theories about the purpose for which the second Stonehenge was built – that is, the landmark that still stands in southern England today. There are several theories, including one that Stonehenge was a place for druid worship, which are Celtic priests.
     However, according to scientists, it makes more sense to assume that rather than a place for worship, observing natural phenomena, or healing ailments, this monument served as a structure for people to gather. Analysis of the remains of Neolithic settlements near Stonehenge showed that people traveled to the site from as far away as Scotland, often bringing livestock with them.
     During the summer and winter solstices, celebrations were likely held at the site that involved feasting. Scientists also studied the teeth of pigs and cattle and concluded that the animals were slaughtered at ages ranging from nine to 15 months. According to Pearson, this means their meat was prepared for the celebrations.
     "But we believe that those who built Stonehenge did not live at the site continuously. You can tell by when they slaughtered pigs – they appeared there during the solstices," Pearson said. The studies also suggest that Stonehenge was constructed in stages, but likely not over more than ten years.