
Stonehenge Begins to Yield Its Secrets - jeo1234
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/10/science/stonehenge-begins-to-yield-its-secrets.html
======
jimrandomh
When people talk about ancient civilizations, they tend to... make things up.
Stonehenge, in particular, due to its recent cultural significance, has lots
of ridiculous stories told about it. There's this narrative about primitivism,
which generates interpretations centered on religion and ritual.

A more informative view, I think, is to assume it's practical. When I look at
pictures of Stonehenge, it looks to me like motte and bailey. A _literal_
motte and bailey, the military fortification, not the logical fallacy by the
same name. A motte and bailey is a military structure that was extremely
common in the middle ages.

There's a ditch around the outside, which is for defense against small groups
of invaders. There's a big stone structure in the middle, which you can climb
up on if attackers get past the ditch, using a structure that was removed some
time later. The graves, cooking pits, and other things at the site are just
signs of habitation.

~~~
lostlogin
If you were picking somewhere to defend, a flat paddock is hardly idea. It was
probably forested then too, making it even worse. I have no idea what it was
but it sure doesn't seem like a defensive position.

~~~
jimrandomh
You choose the flat paddock for economic reasons, and then fortify it as best
you can.

~~~
hanoz
With monoliths from West Wales.

