Stonehenge "Ancient & Modern"

[CaptainsCabin]

This 1:158 scale model has been built entirely from natural stone, other than for the wooden base which was made from Honduras Mahogany. The idea was to create a diorama of Stonehenge as it now stands, then an equivalent model of how it stood circa 1550 BC; I called it Stonehenge “Ancient and Modern” however, I could never have imagined the adventure which would then follow.

During researching the shapes of each stone, a very distinct shape was noted on a Trilithon’s outer side (second image), looking like the hands of a clock at 2 o’clock. When the lead Stonehenge archaeologist was asked what it meant, I was told it was natural weathering. Eventually the model was finished, and was given to the Maryhill Museum U.S.; they then challenged me to find out what this strange shape meant!

During my 'attempt' at Stonehenge archaeological research, I fortunately met a ‘lady on the internet’ who was a very knowledgeable amateur Stonehenge enthusiast who had spent her life studying Stonehenge. An unlikely partnership was formed, and whilst looking for a meaning for the shape, we discovered Stonehenge could have been an early prehistoric calendar. Our research can be seen in “The Stonehenge Carvings”, and why we believe there was meaning to the ‘2 o’clock’ shape, and it was not caused by natural weathering!

Several photographs are attached together with the research Joan and I conducted.

 

[Pathfinder65]

Wow, thats a great bit of modeling.

Jan

 

[CaptainsCabin]

Wow, thats a great bit of modeling.

Jan

Thank you, it was a real adventure!

Lloyd

 

[LuigiSoft]

Yes, it is indeed a fine model. Back in the late sixties I went with a friend to Cornwall for a holiday. We stopped off at Stonehenge, parked the car by the main road (A303) and walked up to the stones admiring the magnitude of the task the creators of Stonehenge faced when creating this great monument. Unfortunately, quite a few visitors started taking souvenirs by chipping off some stone. A few years later my wife and I visited the site. Stonehenge itself was roped off, so touching the stones was no longer permitted and the only access is now through an entrance to a gift shop and having paid a not unsubstantial entrance fee one is guided through to the site. The entire complex is now run by the English Heritage.
This does not take away how remarkable the site is and more is being discovered as new technology is employed to survey the area.
Trevor

 

[CaptainsCabin]

Yes, it is indeed a fine model. Back in the late sixties I went with a friend to Cornwall for a holiday. We stopped off at Stonehenge, parked the car by the main road (A303) and walked up to the stones admiring the magnitude of the task the creators of Stonehenge faced when creating this great monument. Unfortunately, quite a few visitors started taking souvenirs by chipping off some stone. A few years later my wife and I visited the site. Stonehenge itself was roped off, so touching the stones was no longer permitted and the only access is now through an entrance to a gift shop and having paid a not unsubstantial entrance fee one is guided through to the site. The entire complex is now run by the English Heritage.
This does not take away how remarkable the site is and more is being discovered as new technology is employed to survey the area.
Trevor

Trevor, There was a time when the local blacksmith hired out chipping hammers so the tourists could take away a bit of Stonehenge!
When I built the model my wife and I would go down early in the morning to gain special access to the inner circle, so I could photograph and video the Stones. It gives me great satisfaction the model is now being used to educate students in the United States about Stonehenge.

Lloyd

 

[Jeff T]

Fascinating

 

[pugwash]

A lovely, well presented diorama.
The closest I ever got was driving by on the A303 and was underwhelmed!

"...having paid a not unsubstantial entrance fee..."
That's 'rip off Britain for you.

 

[CaptainsCabin]

A lovely, well presented diorama.
The closest I ever got was driving by on the A303 and was underwhelmed!

"...having paid a not unsubstantial entrance fee..."
That's 'rip off Britain for you.

Thank you…..initially it could be perceived as underwhelming, but once amongst the Stones one soon realises the achievement of building the Stonehenge Monument probably equates today, to flying a helicopter on Mars!

 

[ChrisP]

when I was a kid in the 50's we always stopped at Stonehenge for a picnic lunch, and sat on the fallen stones. It was a child's delight - a perfect obstacle course.

A TV documentary this week established that the "blue stones" were quarried from a site in southwest Wales where the workings of the original stonemasons are still visible, and were originally erected in a huge stone circle near the quarry site, before they were moved (apparently along tracks across the hills) over 100 miles and were re-erected at Stonehenge a few hundred years later.

There is a controversy raging about the plan to divert the main A303 highway into a tunnel built a few hundred metres from the site so that visitors can appreciate the remoteness of the site and are not distracted by slow moving traffic, the car drivers all slowing down so the kids can gawp at the stones. The road is well overdue a najor upgrade. Some over-enthusiastic archaeologists are claiming that any excavation near the site may disturb hidden artefacts.

 

[LuigiSoft]

Trevor, There was a time when the local blacksmith hired out chipping hammers so the tourists could take away a bit of Stonehenge!
When I built the model my wife and I would go down early in the morning to gain special access to the inner circle, so I could photograph and video the Stones. It gives me great satisfaction the model is now being used to educate students in the United States about Stonehenge.

Lloyd

Lloyd,
Did you take the chipping marks into account when making the model?
I suppose the local blacksmiths saw a way of improving their income by doing so.
At that time Stonehenge didn't enjoy the protection it has today and did not constitute a site of great importance from an archeological and from a national historical point of view, I summise.
I find the subject matter fascinating, and who knows whether future technology will bring answers to questions we have today, i.e. how the stones were erected and what purpose did Stonehenge fulfill.
Trevor.

 

[CaptainsCabin]

Lloyd,
Did you take the chipping marks into account when making the model?
I suppose the local blacksmiths saw a way of improving their income by doing so.
At that time Stonehenge didn't enjoy the protection it has today and did not constitute a site of great importance from an archeological and from a national historical point of view, I summise.
I find the subject matter fascinating, and who knows whether future technology will bring answers to questions we have today, i.e. how the stones were erected and what purpose did Stonehenge fulfill.
Trevor.

Trevor,

The model was made to 1:158 scale so I would not have been able to replicate such small indentations. I was able to replicate all the major features which were visible from all the photographs and video I took for building the model.

You are correct in that the site was not considered to be of much historical importance, and I believe I seem to recall in my research there was a time it was considered to be demolished!

The site is immensely interesting, and when I did my research on the monument with Joan, I was totally amazed at what was achieved with just using the naked eye and patience – it’s incredible.

As to the purpose of Stonehenge, it is certainly a mystery and perhaps future technology will reveal more, or perhaps 'time travel' will! Joan and I proved it was possible Stonehenge was an early prehistoric calendar, and perhaps our research will be vindicated in the fullness of time. Society was changing during this period of time as the ‘hunter gatherer’ society was on the decline and the emerging ‘agrarian’ society which, would have needed a reliable way to record the seasons for planting and harvesting…..so interesting!


Lloyd

 

[Stuart Little]

A lovely, well presented diorama.
The closest I ever got was driving by on the A303 and was underwhelmed!

"...having paid a not unsubstantial entrance fee..."
That's 'rip off Britain for you.

Talking of 'rip-off Britain', looks like Aldi has joined the ranks, their own brand Whiskey has jumped up £5 /litre. £4 ore than JS, also their German Pils up £1.50.

 

[LuigiSoft]

Talking of 'rip-off Britain', looks like Aldi has joined the ranks, their own brand Whiskey has jumped up £5 /litre. £4 ore than JS, also their German Pils up £1.50.

The price rises could be as a result of Brexit. Import tarifs spring to mind.

 

[Stuart Little]

The price rises could be as a result of Brexit. Import tarifs spring to mind.

Whiskey from Scotland??

 

[LuigiSoft]

Whiskey from Scotland??

That's true for the higher priced Pils, at least.
Perhaps the destillers have increased their prices for whisky.

 

[Stuart Little]

That's true for the higher priced Pils, at least.
Perhaps the destillers have increased their prices for whisky.

Just did an online shop @ JS - ordered 1L Whyte & McKie ; 1L JS brand ' £16/L ! Hic! No rigging to do at present! (had to add something to get back on track!!)

 

[ChrisP]

Whiskey from Scotland??

no. "whiskey" comes from Ireland. scotch "whisky" comes from North Britain.

 

[daju]

This 1:158 scale model has been built entirely from natural stone, other than for the wooden base which was made from Honduras Mahogany. The idea was to create a diorama of Stonehenge as it now stands, then an equivalent model of how it stood circa 1550 BC; I called it Stonehenge “Ancient and Modern” however, I could never have imagined the adventure which would then follow.

During researching the shapes of each stone, a very distinct shape was noted on a Trilithon’s outer side (second image), looking like the hands of a clock at 2 o’clock. When the lead Stonehenge archaeologist was asked what it meant, I was told it was natural weathering. Eventually the model was finished, and was given to the Maryhill Museum U.S.; they then challenged me to find out what this strange shape meant!

During my 'attempt' at Stonehenge archaeological research, I fortunately met a ‘lady on the internet’ who was a very knowledgeable amateur Stonehenge enthusiast who had spent her life studying Stonehenge. An unlikely partnership was formed, and whilst looking for a meaning for the shape, we discovered Stonehenge could have been an early prehistoric calendar. Our research can be seen in “The Stonehenge Carvings”, and why we believe there was meaning to the ‘2 o’clock’ shape, and it was not caused by natural weathering!

Several photographs are attached together with the research Joan and I conducted.




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Thank you. brilliant

 

[CaptainsCabin]

Thank you. brilliant

It was quite an adventure!!

 

[Graham]

A great idea and very nicely executed.