关于巨石阵的5个有趣的事实

关于巨石阵的5个有趣的事实

Humans have spent centuries studying Stonehenge, yet it still has a few tricks up its sleeve. In recent years, for instance, research has shown the size of the world's most mysterious megalithic monument is much larger than previously assumed, giving enthusiasts a whole new set of questions to ponder.

人类花了几个世纪的时间研究巨石阵，但它仍然有一些锦囊妙计。例如，近年来的研究表明，这座世界上最神秘的巨石纪念碑的规模比之前的设想要大得多，这给了爱好者们一套全新的思考问题的方式。

Behold the most architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world. (Photo: Filip Fuxa/Shutterstock)

While many secrets of the sacred site will remain hidden, here are some impressive facts about Stonehenge that have come to light:

虽然这个神圣的地方的许多秘密仍将被隐藏，但这里有一些关于巨石阵的令人印象深刻的事实已经浮出水面:

1.It's not alone. It has long been thought Stonehenge stood in isolation, but recent research — described in the BBC Two documentary "Operation Stonehenge: What Lies Beneath" — employed techniques to scan below the surface and has uncovered something different. Underground maps show 17 previously unknown shrines and hundreds of other archaeological features around the site, including types of monuments never seen before.

它并不孤独。长久以来，人们一直认为巨石阵是孤立的，但最近的研究——英国广播公司的两部纪录片《巨石阵行动:隐藏在地下的东西》中对此进行了描述——利用技术扫描了地下，发现了一些不同的东西。地下地图显示了17座以前不为人知的神殿，以及该遗址周围数百处其他考古特征，包括从未见过的纪念碑类型。

2.It started with deer antlers and bovine bones. Stonehenge dates back to around 5,000 years ago. It began as an earthwork — a bank and ditch called a henge. Archeologists think the ditch was dug from tools made of red deer antlers; the chalk underneath was likely removed with shovels made of cattle shoulder blades.

它始于鹿角和牛骨。巨石阵可以追溯到大约5000年前。它开始是一个土方工程-一个银行和沟称为henge。考古学家认为这条沟是由马鹿鹿角制成的工具挖掘而成;下面的粉笔很可能是用牛肩胛骨做成的铲子铲掉的。

The stones of the inner and outer circles. (Photo: Brian C. Weed/Shutterstock)

3.It includes imported bluestones. The first section, the inner circle, is comprised of about 80 bluestones that weigh a whopping 4 tons each. The stones were quarried in the Prescelly Mountains at a site known as Carn Menyn in Wales. Remarkably, the quarry is located more than 150 miles from the site. Modern theories suggest the stones made the trip courtesy of rollers, sledges, rafts and barges.

其中包括进口青石。第一部分，内圆，由大约80块重达4吨的青石组成。这些石头是在威尔士一个叫卡恩·梅宁的地方的普雷斯利山开采的。值得注意的是，采石场距离现场超过150英里。现代理论认为，这些石头是由滚轮、雪橇、木筏和驳船运来的。

4.It might have been a healing shrine. Why they would select stone from so far away remains one of many unanswered questions. One theory suggests the builders believed the rocks of Carn Menyn were endowed with mystical properties for recuperation, and since visiting the mountains was difficult, bringing the stones to Stonehenge was a way to create a more accessible shrine for healing.

它可能是一个治疗圣地。为什么他们要从这么远的地方选择石头，仍然是许多悬而未决的问题之一。有一种理论认为，建造者认为卡恩梅宁的岩石具有神秘的疗养功能，由于参观这些山很困难，把这些石头带到巨石阵是一种创造更容易接近的治疗圣地的方法。

Thousands gather at Stonehenge in 2017 to witness the sun rising on the longest day of the year. (Photo: Chris Allan/Shutterstock.com)

5.The lintels were tricky, too. To secure the upright stones with the horizontal lintels, Stonehenge's builders made mortise holes and protruding tenons to ensure stability. The lintels were then fit together using tongue-and-groove joints.

门楣也很棘手。为了用水平的门楣固定垂直的石头，巨石阵的建造者们打了一些榫眼和突出的榫来确保稳定。然后用舌槽接合把门楣接合在一起。