The Mystery of Stonehenge’s "Little Sister": What is Woodhenge?
Just two miles from the world-famous stones of Stonehenge lies a site that remained hidden from human eyes for millennia. Woodhenge, built around 2500 BC, was constructed not of massive sarsens, but of enormous wooden posts. While Stonehenge draws millions of tourists, Woodhenge offers a more intimate look into the minds of our ancestors. Why build circles from wood that rots? And what logic connects these two monuments?
1. Discovery from the Sky
Woodhenge was only discovered in 1925 thanks to aerial photography. In the wheat fields, dark spots were visible where the wooden pillars once stood.
Soil Logic: The earth in the holes where the posts were dug holds moisture differently than the surrounding soil, affecting the growth of crops above.
The Structure: Archaeologists found six concentric ellipses made of 168 posts. Today, these spots are marked by concrete pillars to give visitors a sense of the scale.
2. Wood vs. Stone: The Logic of Life and Death
Archaeologists like Mike Parker Pearson have proposed a fascinating theory regarding the logic of materials in the Neolithic age:
Wood (Woodhenge): Symbolises living beings. Wood grows, ages, and decays. Woodhenge was likely the centre for celebrations and rituals for the living.
Stone (Stonehenge): Symbolises the ancestors and eternity. Stone is permanent.
The Connection: A ritual pathway along the River Avon likely connected the two. A procession might begin in the "world of wood" (life) and end in the "world of stone" (death and the ancestors).
3. Architectural Logic: Was it a Building?
Unlike Stonehenge, which was always an open space, some theories suggest Woodhenge may have been a massive roofed hall.
Statics: The spacing and depth of the pits suggest the posts could have supported a heavy thatch roof.
Orientation: Much like its stone neighbour, Woodhenge is aligned with the solstices. This suggests that even in an indoor setting, astronomy played a key role in tracking time.
4. A Dark Secret in the Centre
During excavations, a shallow pit was found in the centre of Woodhenge containing the skeleton of a child.
Sacrifice or Honour? Historians debate whether this was a ritual sacrifice to ensure the building's stability (a "foundation deposit") or an honourable burial in a sacred spot.
This find reminds us that Neolithic logic was deeply intertwined with belief in the supernatural and the cycle of life.
5. British Trivia: The Cuckoo Stone
Near Woodhenge sits a lonely sarsen known as the Cuckoo Stone. It is a remnant of the era before Woodhenge became a monumental structure, showing that this landscape was "intelligently designed" and utilised for thousands of years before the first timber was even felled.
On QuickQuizzer.co.uk, we are fascinated by the "Ancient IQ." Our History & Geography 🌍 section explores how our ancestors used limited tools to solve massive engineering puzzles.
The Rotting Cathedral
Woodhenge teaches us that the brilliance of the ancient British mind wasn't just about building things to last forever; it was about understanding the temporary nature of life. By building in wood, they celebrated the "now."
Think you know your Neolithic history? Head over to our [History & Geography 🌍] section and take the "Prehistoric Britain" quiz!
