Reveals origin of Stonehenge’s great sarsen stones

The giant sarsen stones that form the primary architecture of Stonehenge originate from West Woods on the edge of Wiltshire's Marlborough Downs, according to new research involving UCL. While the smaller 'bluestones' near the centre of the monument have been traced to Wales, the origin of the sarsen stones used to construct Stonehenge around 2,500 BC have remained a mystery for over four centuries. This new study, published in Science Advances , is the first scientific evidence pinpointing the source of the megaliths to West Woods, an area just over 15 miles north of the stone circle site. The woods  are closer than Marlborough Downs, which is 20 miles from the site, and  was previously considered a likely origin point for the sarsens. Co-author on the study, Professor Mike Parker Pearson (UCL Institute of Archaeology), said: "This settles over 300 years of debate on whether the stones came from around Stonehenge itself or from the Marlborough Downs. West Woods was the location nearest Stonehenge where the largest, most suitable monoliths could be obtained and brought along a relatively easy route without too many obstacles. "Even so, this was an amazing achievement because of the stones' considerable weight.