How did scientists prove humans, not glaciers, moved Stonehenge stones?

Scientists analyzed sand grains near Stonehenge using mineral fingerprinting, finding no evidence of glacial transport.

What was the glacial transport theory for Stonehenge?

The theory suggested that ice sheets carried the massive stones of Stonehenge to Salisbury Plain from Wales and Scotland.

Where did the Stonehenge bluestones and altar stone originate?

The bluestones came from the Preseli Hills in Wales, and the altar stone originated from northern Scotland.

Home / Science / Tiny Sand Grains Reveal Stonehenge Secret

Tiny Sand Grains Reveal Stonehenge Secret

22 Jan

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Summary

Mineral fingerprinting proves glaciers didn't transport Stonehenge stones.
Sand analysis shows no glacial material reached Salisbury Plain.
Neolithic people likely moved stones using sledges and rivers.

Tiny Sand Grains Reveal Stonehenge Secret

The 5,000-year-old mystery of how Stonehenge's massive stones were transported has potentially been solved, thanks to tiny grains of sand. Researchers from Curtin University utilized cutting-edge mineral fingerprinting techniques to analyze sand found on Salisbury Plain.

Their findings reveal that no glacial material reached the area during the last ice age (20,000 to 26,000 years ago). This directly contradicts the glacial transport theory, which proposed that ice sheets moved the megaliths. The geological 'fingerprint' of the sand did not match rocks from the bluestones' origin in Wales or the altar stone's origin in Scotland.

This evidence strongly suggests that the stones were moved by humans. Lead author Dr. Anthony Clarke stated that this aligns with views of Neolithic people using methods like sledges, rollers, and rivers. The bluestones, weighing two to five tonnes, originated from the Preseli Hills in Wales, while the altar stone came from northern Scotland, requiring immense effort to transport hundreds of miles.