Archaeologists have discovered a ring of deep shafts around an ancient settlement close to Stonehenge. These new findings have opened investigations into the origins of the prehistoric monument. The ring is 2km wide circle measuring more than 10m in diameter and 5m in depth. Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England consisting of a ring of standing stones and its purpose still remains unknown to scientists. It surrounds the ancient settlement of Durrington Walls 3km from Stonehenge. According to tests, the groundworks are Neolithic and were excavated more than 4,500 years ago. Researchers believe maybe that these 20 shafts acted as a boundary to a sacred area connected to the henge. Summer Solstice 2020 Wishes and Images: It’s the First Day of Summer, Netizens Flood Twitter Timeline With Gorgeous Sunrise Views & Other Pics to Celebrate the Longest Day of the Year.

A member in the research group includes a team of academics from the universities of St Andrews, Birmingham, Warwick, Glasgow and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Dr Richard Bates, from St Andrews' School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, was quoted as saying, "Remote sensing and careful sampling is giving us an insight to the past that shows an even more complex society than we could ever imagine. Clearly sophisticated practices demonstrate that the people were so in tune with natural events to an extent that we can barely conceive in the modern world." World Heritage Day 2020: Machu Picchu to Stonehenge, 7 Incredible Heritage Monuments Around the World Which Depict Ancient Culture.

Giant Circle of Shafts Discovered Close to Stonehenge:

Vincent Gaffney, one of the archaeologists leading the project was quoted as saying, "This is an unprecedented find of major significance within the UK. Key researchers on Stonehenge and its landscape have been taken aback by the scale of the structure and the fact that it hadn't been discovered until now so close to Stonehenge." He added, "I can't emphasise enough the effort that would have gone into digging such large shafts with tools of stone, wood and bone." Gaffney said that the circle of shafts demonstrated the desire of Neolithic communities to record their belief systems in ways that researchers never expected. The discovery was made without the need for excavations, using remote sensing technology and sampling.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 22, 2020 04:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).