This episode we attempt to uncover the mystery behind Stonehenge, the 5000 year old monument that has had archeologists and ancient alien theorists alike scratching their heads for ages. If you’ve been living under a sarsen stone and have never heard of Stonehenge, superfan John has you covered: “They’re big rocks, it’s just like, they’re big, they’re really big.”

Every episode we attempt to answer the Who, What, Why, and How behind an engineering monument, but this time we’ve found that about as challenging as moving 40 tonne stones without rope or wheels. This mysterious monument was constructed in three phases across 400 years, beginning in 3000 BCE, right around the time of the cutting edge technologies of stone tools, pottery, and growing a crop in the same place very year. The first phase wasn’t much more than a ditch and a heel stone, and took an estimated 11,000 man hours, or 460 man days to construct. Stonehenge phase two included the erection of timber posts, typical to many of the wooden henges in the area, and took an estimated 15,000 man days or 41 man years. Stonehenge as we recognize it today wasn’t constructed until another 200 years later, and took an estimated 1.75 million man hours, or 200 man years to complete.

Just how this was achieved without rope, wheels, or written language is still generally a mystery today, but Vivian and John attempt to sift through many of the theories we have today, but as it turns out few of them hold water. John guides us through a few conspiracy theories, including the wild idea that Stonehenge was constructed by an ancient race of giants known as the Nephilim under the command of the wizard Merlin. Vivian steers us back a little closer to reality with what she refers to as the “carved balls” theory, which was tested in 2010 by archeology graduate students in the UK, and revealed that a 4 tonne stone could fairly easily be moved by only 6 or 7 people.

Why the monument was created continues to elude us today, in large part because of the strictly oral traditions of those who built it. We discuss some of the more popular ideas for the monument’s purpose, such as a clock or calendar, a place of healing, or even as a neolithic music hall. Despite the mystery of why this four century long engineering project happened, it has captivated the imaginations of millions of people for thousands of years.

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Learn more at: MeasuredInMetric.com

Edited by: Astronomic Audio

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