Stonehenge Mystery Solved- Stone Circle Was Basically Ancient Excedrin

Researchers working at the prehistoric English site of Stonehenge just announced a breakthrough and now claim to finally understand why the stone circle was built - sadly, it’s not about pagan orgies. No, archaeologists found several points of evidence that led them to believe it was actually used as an early healing center.

“Stonehenge would attract not only people who were unwell, but people who were capable of (healing) them,” Professor Darvill said. “In a sense, Stonehenge becomes the accident and emergency centre of southern England.”

The key that inspired their theory was the presence of bluestones at Stonehenge. Bluestones, a.k.a “spotted dolomite,” are a rare stone thought to have healing qualities and even today they inspire folklore and speculation.

They say bluestones from Wales were moved 150 miles to the site because they were thought to have magical powers to cure sickness and ward off evil.

The inner circle of Stonehenge is made of just these bluestones, and what’s more, graves found near the site contain fragments of bluestones, so archaeologists are guessing that sick people would chip off bits of the rocks to make healing amulets.

This theory is strengthened by the fact that most of the buried people were clearly severely sick or wounded before they died. According to archaeologist Timothy Darvill:

An unusual number of skeletons recovered from the area showed signs of serious disease or injury. Analysis of their teeth showed that about half were from outside the Stonehenge area. “People were in a state of distress, if I can put it as politely as that, when they came to the Stonehenge monument.” Experts near Stonehenge have found two skulls that showed evidence of primitive surgery.

And we always thought our mom was crazy when she’d put quartz crystal on our forehead to cure the flu! Ha. What did we know, foolish nenas that we were.

Experts ’solve’ mystery of Stonehenge [CNN]
Spotted Dolomite In Stonehenge [Brokencontrollers]
Stonehenge was ‘healing centre like a prehistoric Lourdes’ [Mirror]