Devil’s Arrows: Ancient builders hauled 55,000-pound stones 11 miles for Britain’s tallest stone row
Geological research has traced the stones used in Britain's Devil's Arrows monument to Brimham Rocks, 11 miles away. This discovery reveals that Neolithic builders transported 25-tonne stones across challenging terrain, suggesting high levels of planning and cultural significance.
Why it matters
It challenges previous archaeological assumptions about the logistical capabilities and motivations of prehistoric societies.
Ancient builders hauled enormous 25-tonne (55,000-pound) stones across at least 18 kilometers (11 miles) to create Britain's tallest surviving prehistoric stone row, according to new research into the iconic Devil's Arrows.
The study, led by Curtin University in collaboration with the University of York, UK, is the first to pinpoint the geological source of the towering stones. Researchers traced them to Brimham Rocks, a rugged area in North Yorkshire.
Located near Boroughbridge in northern England, the Devil's Arrows rise as high as seven meters (23 feet). They form an unusual stone alignment in a lowland landscape, and despite their striking size, scientists had not been able to determine where the stones originally came from.
Researchers believe the stones were transported and raised during the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, possibly around 2000 BC.
A Distant Source for Britain's Giant Stones
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