8 minute read
THE MYSTERY OF STONEHENGE
The world-famous British Museum is running a major exhibition dedicated to Stonehenge; the most famous ancient stone circle in the world. Shrouded in layers of speculation and folklore, you can now learn all about this special monument’s fascinating history in London before visiting Stonehenge itself on a wonderful prehistoric journey of the Great West Way.
Stonehenge is a famous and much-loved British monument that has fascinated historians, archaeologists and enthusiasts for centuries. In The British Museum’s special exhibition, The World of Stonehenge, running this summer its story is being told. And, if ever there was an iconic structure that evokes questions of who?, when?, why? and how? Stonehenge is it. This is the first time an exhibition about Stonehenge and its era has ever been staged in London. “That seems remarkable to me given how famous the monument is around the world,” Neil Wilkin, The British Museum Stonehenge Exhibition Curator, tells us.
Over 430 objects have been brought together from across Europe in this once-in-a-lifetime spectacle on the history – and mystery – of the ancient monument. “It was an amazing opportunity to bring so many wonderful objects to London from across Britain, Ireland, and North-West Europe and to display them together and tell such a compelling story”, Neil explains.
Stonehenge; Decorated sun-disc from a woman’s belt, found in Langstrup, Denmark
And there is quite a history, Stonehenge was built 4,500 years ago around the same time as the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, one of the most remarkable eras on the islands of Britain and Ireland, which saw huge social and technological revolutions, alongside fundamental changes in people’s relationships with the sky, the land and one another.
“The exhibition has given us the incredible opportunity to put Stonehenge in the context of this era, including the arrival of the first farmers who transformed the British landscape; the first metalworkers who redefined social, economic, and cosmological connections; and the introduction of long-distance trade and exchange networks,” says Neil. “Stonehenge features throughout the narrative we tell, acting as a familiar thread. We took the opportunity to show that the monument meant very different things at different times and that these meanings were informed by what was happening elsewhere across Europe”.
At the heart of the exhibition is the sensational loan of a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age timber circle, dubbed Seahenge due to its similarity to Wiltshire’s Stonehenge. It is a hugely significant and extremely rare surviving example of a timber monument that has also been called “Stonehenge of the Sea.” It re-emerged on a remote Norfolk beach in 1998 due to the shifting sands, and it consists of a large, upturned tree stump surrounded by 54 wooden posts. The oak posts, some up to 3m tall, were tightly packed in a 6.6m diameter circle with their bark-covered sides facing outwards. Inside the circle was a mighty oak, its roots upturned towards the heavens like branches. Collectively the circle creates a giant tree. A narrow entranceway was aligned on the rising midsummer sun and it is thought this monument was used for ritual purposes.
Seahenge
“The exhibition could never replace the opportunity to visit Stonehenge itself - or indeed many of the other wonderful sites and museums along the Great West Way, including Salisbury Museum, Wiltshire Museum in Devizes or Avebury henge and standing stones”, says Neil. “It does, however, provide the perfect complementary experience and I really hope visitors to the Way will be able to start or end their journeys at the British Museum exhibition”.
When asked about his favourite part of the exhibition, Neil enthuses, “I love so many of the objects, from the newly discovered Burton Agnes chalk 'drum', buried with three children in a poignant and powerful grave in North Yorkshire around 3000 BC, around the same time as the bluestones were being raised at Stonehenge to the Nebra Sky Disc from Germany, a portable version of Stonehenge and the earliest known depiction of the heavens in the world! I'm particularly fond of Seahenge too - we have been able to bring key elements of this wonderfully preserved timber circle to London (the oaks to build it were felled in the spring or summer of 2049 BC). It is the next best thing to being able to exhibit Stonehenge itself, especially given the importance of timber monuments during the era of Stonehenge - monuments that so rarely survive due to their perishable material.
The new Prehistoric Journey of the Great West Way takes you on an adventure through the ancient landscapes of the Great West Way, and journeys between two historic cities; the famous English capital, London, and the small city of Salisbury just to the south of the main Great West Way route. Over three busy days, you may only cover a few hundred miles but you will travel through thousands of years of history.
The journey begins at the British Museum World of Stonehenge exhibition, then it’s an hour and a half train journey to the Wiltshire city of Salisbury, to spend a few hours exploring the historic streets; it might not reach back in time quite as far as Stonehenge itself, but there are 800 years of fascinating history to see here.
After a busy day exploring England's past, venture back to the modern day with a meal at one of Salisbury's contemporary restaurants, and a quiet drink at one of the city's many bars or pubs before getting up bright and early for a visit to Stonehenge itself.
Neil Wilkin, Exhibition Curator
Bronze twin horse–snake hybrid
Nebra Sky Disc
With space for just 30 visitors, a Stone Circle Experience lets you get up close to the world-famous ancient monument, walking amongst the towering, mysterious stones as the day begins. Each visit takes place at dawn and lasts an hour, after which you can explore the museum-quality exhibitions at the Stonehenge Visitor Centre to find out more detail and context about the stone circle's past.
Spend your afternoon back in the city of Salisbury for a visit to Salisbury Museum. Located in the Cathedral Close, the museum is surrounded by the city's historic sights, including the awe-inspiring Salisbury Cathedral. Inside Salisbury Museum you will discover a world-class gallery of archaeology housing one of Europe’s most extensive collections of Stonehenge and prehistoric artefacts, as well as other exhibitions dedicated to the history of the local area.
Spend your evening exploring and experiencing Salisbury’s nightlife; the city has a huge array of restaurants, bars and pubs to enjoy as well as theatres with a busy programme of plays and performances throughout the year.
For those who would like to see more of the ancient landscapes of the Great West Way travel out of Salisbury to the Wiltshire market town of Devizes, taking less than an hour by car. This pretty little town boasts a traditional market square, independent shops aplenty and pleasant walks along the Kennet & Avon Canal.
Here you will also find Wiltshire Museum, a treasure trove of information about the area’s history. The Prehistoric Wiltshire Galleries tell the story of the people who built the mysterious monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury, and features artifacts from the over 4,000 years ago, to complete your understanding of our area's ancient history.
Rare Saxon coin found in Wiltshire field and bought by the Wiltshire Museum for £21,600 after a fundraising campaign
In the afternoon, explore the surrounding countryside to walk through the timeless landscapes you have heard about on your trip. The large stone circle at Avebury - dating back more than 4,000 years and running through the village itself - is a short drive away from Devizes. While you're there, visit West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill to fully immerse yourself in the ancient landscape, and enjoy a walk with far-reaching views over the Wiltshire countryside. West Kennet Long Barrow is a Neolithic tomb built more than five thousand years ago - step into the dark interior to feel like you have travelled backwards through the millennia. A short walk away, Silbury Hill is a manmade hill created at roughly the same time as the Avebury stone circle, similar in size to some of the ancient Egyptian pyramids, and built for mysterious unknown purposes.
Now that you have thoroughly explored the ancient landscapes and prehistoric past of the Great West Way, it's time to end your journey by returning east to London.
Or you may prefer to explore the rest of the Great West Way route by travelling west to the vibrant cities of Bristol and Bath, which both have a wealth of attractions, activities and history to enjoy.
