| Stonehenge was a hive of activity again at the end of | | | | should be remembered that Stonehenge in those days |
| the early Bronze Age, around 2150 B.C.E. Two | | | | was situated in what was to become the county of |
| concentric circles of stones were built, one 26.2 | | | | Wessex. It was a large county, running along the south |
| metres diameter, the other 22.6. Along with this, a | | | | of England and taking in a lot of the coast. |
| driveway measuring 2.8 kilometres in length stretched | | | | Mercia, another large county, was immediately to its |
| from the river Avon to the henge itself. | | | | north. In those days, there were powerful war-lords. |
| We must imagine a landing stage at the river where | | | | They were laid to rest in graves rich with artifacts, |
| 82 huge 4 ton dolerite stones were unloaded from | | | | often with their womenfolk alongside them. These |
| their long journey from Carn Meini in the Prescelly | | | | date to 1800 - 1400 B.C.E. The earliest graves, dating |
| mountains of southwest Wales. | | | | to 1800, contain fine gold work and are believed to be |
| We come to the question of the wheel. Did our | | | | the work of a single craftsman, with overtones of |
| builders have such a device? Quite possibly. A number | | | | Beaker influence. |
| of solid wheels have been found in the Netherlands, | | | | Soon after 1400 B.C.E., Britain's climate began to |
| dating to 2500 B.C.E., so it's eminently possible that | | | | change. Rainy autumns were following hard on the glint |
| wheels were used at Stonehenge. Pulleys, too, | | | | of long, sunny summers and many distinctive and well |
| wouldn't have been out of the question. | | | | liked features, comfortable to the older population, |
| However Stonehenge was built, the blue stone circle | | | | were passing away. The pottery; cinerary urns, food |
| was unfinished. Plans changed, and instead the circle | | | | vessels, beakers. The stone circles and henges were |
| of sarsen stones was erected around the interior of | | | | abandoned, and barrows were seldom heaped up. |
| the henge. Forty sarsen uprights were placed in | | | | There are hints, too, that available farmland was |
| position, and joined by 35 lintels. These stones were | | | | decreasing. |
| transported from the Marlborough Downs, about 24 | | | | The climate was deteriorating rapidly, certainly after |
| km to the north. This arrangement consisted of an | | | | 1000 B.C.E. Many settlements were being flooded out, |
| outer circle of 30 uprights, with their lintels, and an inner | | | | and there was certainly a decrease in the population. |
| circle of free-standing trilithons. These were the Station | | | | There were no invaders at this time, so it's very likely |
| Stones, the Slaughter Stone and its companion. | | | | that some form of plague played a big part in the |
| Technically, it's remarkable. The lintels have projecting | | | | radical changes taking place. |
| knobs which fit onto the uprights. Each lintel has a | | | | The scant evidence we have for Bronze Age people |
| tongue and groove to link it with the next one, thereby | | | | is that they were warlike. Severe decreases in |
| strengthening the circle. | | | | farmland would more than likely lead to attacks on |
| The geometry here is very sophisticated. This second | | | | those who possessed more by those with less. Trade |
| phase has been carbon dated to around 2100 B.C.E., | | | | in Britain boomed at the end of the Bronze Age, and in |
| while the final stage dates to about 1490 B.C.E. It | | | | its twilight, we see the Iron Age emerging. |