It fascinates me that Christians are so scathing about the so-called sacrifices of religions that preceded them, be they symbolic or literal, when the Christians were the greatest sacrificers of them all (and let's face it, the Slaughter Stone at Stonehenge was actually red from its iron content, not druidic blood sacrifices). During the Inquisition and witch burnings thousands of women were burned or drowned BY CHRISTIANS for the crime of healing, or being attractive to men - and this in the "enlightened" recent past. Protestants and Catholics sacrificed their own young men in bloody battles "in God's name". The Pope sacrifices lives by not allowing condoms in Africa. Etc etc etc. Makes the fruit and flower offerings of the druids look rather tame. And sexual immorality? Please! The Catholic Church cornered the market on paedophilia etc. Examine your own heart, and your own God, before being so quick to judge others.

Serene, Sydney, Australia

Other than the fact that this site is in Brittain, it is not that remarkable with respect to people building megastructures for one reason or another. At that time people started to build large buildings out of stone all over the world, a tradition that continues to this day. Wether to worship God, commemorate an event, plot the seasons or bury a king, we want permanent structures and I'm sure the sociologists have many theories to explain why. I don't thik aliens, chritianity, or any other concern of our modern age had anything to do with it. We are a creative species. As the saying goes, where there is a will there is a way. I doubt we will ever really know "why" this structure was bult. It will be nice to end debate as to when.

Chris, San Diego, CA

"An astronomical observatory: yet to be proven..." !?!?!?

The fact that Stonehenge is an astronomical observatory is "yet to be proven"?

The structure is one of the most accurate observatories in the world. Countless studies and testing of alignments have proven this without a doubt.

Anson, Durham, North Carolina, USA

56 Abbey stones mark the circle at Stonehenge for the 56 tribes which fled the Tower of Babel. Peleg in Genesis chapter 10 name means "to divide". World was divided into nations the year Peleg was born as humanity fled the Tower of Babel. Peleg's younger brother was Joktan. 70 tribes in Genesis chapter 10. Joktan and sons = 14 tribes born in the history of nations. 70 - 14 = 56 tribes. Nimrod's Assyrian name is SARGON and Sargon reigned over the Genesis 10:10 city of Accad/Akkad/Agade for 56 years before he was slain. Pagan priests at Stonehenge celebrating 56 tribes who formulated the "Mystery Religion" found in the book of Revelation and endorsed by pope Benedict XVI brings us to the "Last Days" of civilization before Christ returns. Pope Benedict XVI and Secretary Moon of the United Nations (February 2008) are building "The House of Religions" in ROME to welcome the coming anti-Christ. Pope Benedict XVI embraced Moslem king Abdullah of Saudi Arabia last week in that demonic rythum.

TJ Skylark, Springfield, USA

It is exciting to see that research may reveal new findings about the monoliths at Stonehenge. Probably not much new will be revealed, short of a probable date for its' beginning. The lack of answers and the mystery around Stonehenge is what makes it so fascinating.
Mike Burgess, Marietta, GA, USA

Michael Burgess, Marietta, Georgia

The Blue Stones came from Carn Menyn and Carn Alw on the Preseli mountains and this was proven scientifically by Thorpe, Jenkins et al after drilling into the stones in 1987. The results were published in the Antiquaries Journal, volume 3. The mind boggles at the thought of spending six years toiling in the Preselis when these outcrops are about half a mile apart! I hope they found the pub at the bottom of the hill,

Judith Jenkins, Brisbane, Australia

I wish I could understand what Garry from Texas has written. I'm sure it is both relevant and fascinating.

matthew, London, London

I believe that stonehenge was intended to be built as the mother of all burial chambers,,,,the same as others in the area but on a much larger scale,,the stones aligned with the sun and moon to allow a shaft of light into the inner sanctum as other burial chambers do,,,alas the builders came to a technological impass,,,,,,they could not span the roof with anything strong enough to take the weight of building a hill over it,,,,,thus it became a failure and the real purpose of its being built was lost to time and remained incomplete,,,Only now do we have the knowhow to use steel girders that would be needed to finish such a project,,,

geoffrey ball, Torquay, Devon

Have you noticed that all over the world there are ruins to old civilisations that God got rid of?
If we look we can see that when a civilisation went over to idolatry (the worship of metal, wood and stone), sexual immorality (homosexuality/lesbianism) and sacrifice (todays abortion) it vanished.
I wonder where that places us today in Gods Heart?
Wouldnt it be wonderful for the penny to drop and for worldwide Christian revival to break out?

Graeme Gibson, Sydney, Australia

May be wrong but very sure have seen the photos of the stones being rebuilt! Think they were stood back up and some repositioned.
Please let me know if I am wrong.

t, salisbury, wilts

It is almost certain that people 4.5 thousand years ago were as intelligent as we are now. Getting some big stones 150 miles would have been fairly routine I suppose.
It was probably built for the same kind of reasons we built churches; come and listen to the priests, get your crops/loved ones blessed and put a little something in the pot, as it were.
I expect the people who 'ran' stonehenge did quite well....

Tim, Oxford, Oxon

Why not just carbon date some of the grass left under one of those cracked and abandoned blue stones in Wales. If, as they say, said stone hasn't been disturbed since the it was dropped, any remnant of live organic material under it should give an accurate carbon date for the period when the blue stones were being transported.

Of course you'd have to flip it over. No small task that.

Paul Senft, New York, USA

Is it possible that 'The Temple of Apollo' had a practical purpose, originally?

Clive Burghard LANCING, LANCING, ENGLAND

Who brought the stones from Preseli to Stonehenge? It couldn't have been the Celts because they didn't arrive for another 1000 years. Some Neath people reckon it was the Cuddy Group because they're everywhere but my bet on is Wimpeys.Any other suggestion?

A R Llewelyn, Newport, UK

Will the March 31st - April 11th excavation reveal why Stonehenge was made? The first Bluestone excavation won't, but the last Sarsen excavation will. G-D's Rock Collection was built to house G-D's Art Collection which is on display beneath Heelstone. Purpose being to fund The Pagan (A303 - 5.5 km), The Druid (A344 - 3.0 km) and The Wiccan (A360 - 1.5 km) three (3) tunnels, and Airman's Corner Stonehenge Vistors' Centre. A large 8'x8'x4' artefact below Heelstone? Other than a core sample of it (1656), a magnetic survey of it (1984), an electromagnetic (EM) conductivity survey of it (1984), and a seismic refraction survey of it (1984); no other tangible proof of it being in Scroll Trench where it is circled by Heelstone Ditch exists, save and except for: an electrical resistivity survey of it (1994), a ground-penetrating radargram of it (2004), confirmation geophysical surveys of it (2004), and a confirmation core sample of it (2004). Exhume that 8'x8'x4' artefact from under Heelstone!

Garry Denke, Collin / Plano, USA / Texas