Avebury /ˈeɪvbəri/ is a Neolithic monument that consists of three stone circles located in the village of Avebury in Wiltshire, England. Like Stonehenge, Avebury is a very popular tourist destination representing a prehistoric site of Britain and the largest megalithic stone circle in the world! Is it older than Stonehenge? What civilization could construct this monument? Keep on reading to know the answers!
CONSTRUCTION | WHEN AND WHY?
The exact date of the construction of Avebury is totally unknown. This prehistoric site is suggested to have been built not as a single monument. The stones were put there during different time periods, forming three perfect stone circles.
Such notable from has caused many theories of the Avebury's purpose. One of the most popular is that it served as a place for rituals performed by Neolithic people during different seasons "to appease the powers of nature".
Other scientists and archaeologists claim that Avebury was created as a burial place, since there were some human bones found.
MEDIEVAL HORROR
It is interesting to know that during the Late Mediaeval period, Avebury was thought to be a bad place associated with the Devil. By that time England had been already converted to Christianity, so people were trying to fight with everything that, as they imagined, were not from God. That's why many villagers started to destroy some parts of the monument and bury stones under the ground.
Why didn't they destroy all the stones, then? Well, they were stopped by one horrific event that happened when some men were trying to pull a stone down and it fell on one of the men breaking his neck and leading him to his death. As he fell just into a hole made for the stone, he was trapped there and it was impossible to take his body out of there...The man was buried just inside the hole.
This event impressed the locals a lot and they decided to stop destroying Avebury seeing in all that a sign sent to them by the Devil himself.
The stone under which the man was found was later called the Barber Stone, as it was suggested he worked as a travelling barber-surgeon.
The biggest stone of the monument has a name of the Devil's Chair. It was called so by the same villagers.
As well as Stonehenge, Avebury is especially popular among many contemporary Pagans who think it is a "living temple" and use it as a sacred site to perform their religious rituals.
Share your thoughts on this ancient site in the comments! Have you ever been there or would like to visit one day? Why/ why not?
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