Kat's Ethio-Blog: What's the meaning of Stonehenge?

Ylvis, the comedy brother duo from Norway are not the first to ask or in this case sing, "What's the meaning of Stonehenge?" Give it a listen and a look and join the millions who seek the meaning behind the most famous henge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbyzgeee2mg

From Allison's location in Southampton, Stonehenge is a short (30 minute) train ride to Salisbury, where we caught the Stonehenge bus. Salisbury is yet another quaint English town and as we rode through I snapped pictures from our front row seats in the double decker bus. As you leave Salisbury you travel along narrow tree lined roads that at times are barely able to accommodate two vehicles, let along a double decker bus. Drivers are exceedingly polite (or perhaps just very wise), because in a game of chicken there's no doubt who would win. As we drew closer to the site I was amazed that Stonehenge quite literally rises up in all its glory in the middle of a field. Sheep wander and eat contentedly throughout the beautiful Wiltshire countryside. A visitor centre is being constructed and should be open in December 2013. The bus passed the construction area and we were dropped off to begin the short trek towards Stonehenge; a ring of standing stones set within earthworks. The word henge refers to a particular type of earthwork which consists of a circular or oval-shaped bank with an internal ditch surrounding a central flat area. Stonehenge actually is the reverse of this since its bank is inside its ditch (7). Regardless of this inconsistency, it's 24 ft tall trilithons (two large vertical stones), supporting lintels (load bearing stone) weighing as much as 50 tons, standing in a circle make this phenomenon quite simply Amazing. It is truly a unique experience standing before Stonehenge because of all the history and mystery surrounding this cluster of stones. As I gazed at them I was struck with how surreal the whole experience felt. I mean these stones have been in existence since 3100 BC and no one can explain how it was constructed considering the weight and the lack of technology. It has stood the test of time. You no longer can approach the stones and touch them as in the past people came with pick axes to take some of the mystery away with them. But even gazing from a far fills you with wonder. Stonehenge is now owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage, while the surrounding land where the sheep graze is owned by the National Trust.