麻豆直播

New 麻豆直播 research has delivered the strongest scientific evidence yet that people 鈥� not glaciers 鈥� transported Stonehenge鈥檚 famous bluestones to the ancient site.

The study challenges one of archaeology鈥檚 most enduring debates about how the Altar Stone and other rocks got to their current position and strengthens the case for deliberate human transport.

Using advanced mineral 鈥渇ingerprinting鈥� techniques, Curtin scientists examined microscopic grains preserved in rivers close to the historic monument around Salisbury Plain, in southern England.

The mineral grains act as geological time capsules, revealing how sediments travelled across Britain over millions of years.

Using world-leading equipment at Curtin鈥檚 , the research team analysed more than 500 zircon crystals, one of the most durable minerals on Earth.

Lead author from the within Curtin鈥檚 School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the results showed no evidence that glaciers ever reached the Stonehenge site.

鈥淚f glaciers had carried rocks all the way from Scotland or Wales to Stonehenge, they would have left a clear mineral signature on the Salisbury Plain,鈥� Dr Clarke said.

鈥淭hose rocks would have eroded over time, releasing tiny grains that we could date to understand their ages and where they came from.

鈥淲e looked at the river sands near Stonehenge for some of those grains the glaciers might have carried and we did not find any. That makes the alternative explanation – that humans moved the stones – far more plausible.鈥�

Dr Clarke said how humans may have moved the stones remained a mystery.

鈥淪ome people say the stones might have been sailed down from Scotland or Wales, or they might have been transported over land using rolling logs, but really we might never know,鈥� Dr Clarke said.

鈥淏ut what we do know is ice almost certainly didn鈥檛 move the stones.鈥�

Study co-author , also from the at Curtin, said the findings highlight the power of modern geochemical tools to resolve long-standing historical questions.

鈥淪tonehenge continues to surprise us,鈥� Professor Kirkland said.

鈥淏y analysing minerals smaller than a grain of sand, we have been able to test theories that have persisted for more than a century.  

鈥淭here are so many questions that can be asked about this iconic monument 鈥� for example, why was Stonehenge built in the first place?

鈥淚t was probably used for a wide variety of different purposes, like a calendar, an ancient temple, a feasting site.

鈥淪o asking and then answering these sorts of questions requires different sorts of data sets and and this study adds an important piece to that bigger picture.鈥�

The findings follow another major Curtin-led discovery in 2024, identifying a Scottish origin for the central six-tonne 鈥楢ltar Stone鈥� rock at the heart of Stonehenge, further reinforcing the view Neolithic builders sourced and transported the iconic stones deliberately and over vast distances.

The paper 鈥楧etrital zircon-apatite fingerprinting challenges glacial transport of Stonehenge鈥檚 尘别驳补濒颈迟丑蝉鈥� published in journal can be found .