Thursday 19 April 2012

Neolithic acoustics of Stonehenge revealed by academics


A team of academics have revealed the "sonic experience" that early visitors to Stonehenge would have heard.
Scholars from the Universities of Salford, Huddersfield and Bristol used an American replica of the monument to investigate its audio history.
Salford's Dr Bruno Fazenda said they had found the site reacted to sound "in a way that would have been noticeable to the Neolithic man".
He said the research would allow a "more holistic" view of its past.

Stonehenge
The degradation of the site meant it could not be used for acoustic tests
"It is as if we can travel back in time and experience the space in a more holistic way”  Dr Bruno Fazenda University of Salford
The acoustic experiments could not be carried out at Stonehenge, as the derelict state of the site meant only a "few weak echoes and no noticeable reverberation" could be studied.
As a result, the team used a full-sized concrete reconstruction of it in Maryhill, America, which was built in 1929 as a memorial to WWI soldiers.
In February, scientist Steven Waller published a paper suggesting the design of Stonehenge could have been inspired by music.
Dr Fazenda, who has been involved with the acoustic testing of the monument for four years, said his own research had not revealed if this was the case or not.
"Stonehenge is very well known, but people are still trying to find out what it was built for," he said.
"We thought that doing this would bring an element of archaeology that so far hasn't been looked at.
Maryhill replica of Stonehenge
The team used an American concrete replica of Stonehenge for tests 
 
"This type of research is important because now we can not only see ourselves surrounded by the stones using virtual reality, but we can also listen how the stone structure would have enveloped people in a sonic experience.
"It is as if we can travel back in time and experience the space in a more holistic way."
Dr Fazenda said that the data collected did not "unequivocally reveal" if the site was designed with acoustics in mind, like a Roman amphitheatre.
But he added that it did show "the space reacted to acoustic activity in a way that would have been noticeable to the Neolithic man

Link source: BBC

Stonehenge Tour Guide

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Stonehenge Future. English heritage plans for 2012 - 2014



Stonehenge key milestones from now to 2014:

May/June 2012: Removal of Airman’s Cross memorial for safe storage during construction works. Construction begins at Airman’s Corner

July/Aug 2012: Stonehenge to welcome visitors during the Olympics as normal at the current facilities

Sept 2012: Improvement works to Longbarrow Roundabout begin

March 2013: A344 closed to traffic between the A303 and Byway 12 (access to current visitor facilities and car park via A360/ Airman’s Corner)

Summer 2013: Installation of Airman’s Cross memorial in visitor building precincts

Oct 2013: New visitor centre opens, existing facilities and car park decommissioned, fencing removed

From Autumn 2013: Re-landscaping work at the site of current facilities and car park

Summer 2014: Environmental improvement works completed

It is their intention to keep local residents, community groups and businesses fully informed about the project, and we will be sending out regular newsletters updating you on progress.

Link: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk

Stonehenge Tour Guide

Monday 26 March 2012

History and Mystery - What are Ley Lines ?


To New Age thinkers, Ley lines are “sacred” alignments of ancient sites and religious places on an imaginary line. They believed by these lines hold significant and magical powers, and seemingly connects these important sites over large geographical regions. To professional archeologists, researchers and scientists, ley line is an example of junk science.

Dowsing the Stones
 The belief in these lines started with the early 1920s publication of “Early British Trackways” (also known as “The Old Straight Track”) by self-taught amateur archeologist and antiquarian Alfred Watkins. His discovery started with an observation he made from atop of a hill near Blackwardine, England. There, he observed the many footpaths that led from some of the ancient sites in the area

 Later, he studied a map of the region and discovered he could draw a straight line to every site in the region. He called these lines “ley” which means “clearing” due mainly to the fact that the original lines he spotted were physically clear paths that could be seen from a certain height. He surmised that he had discovered ancient trade routes. However, his discovery would lead others who read his book to come up with different conclusions.

 New Age occultists, dowsers, and ufologists have made claims that these lines hold mysterious energy. Many of these groups believe that these lines have magic qualities to them. Some even speculate that they attract aliens in their UFOS.

 The ley lines have been expanded beyond England’s ancient ruins. In some cases geological sites around the world are included. Mt. Everest, Ayers Rock in Australia, the Great Pyramid of Giza, Sedona in Arizona, and Mutiny Bay are among the places believed to have special powers created by the ley lines.
 Many within the New Age groups believe that these lines not only connect religious sites with each other; they connect areas of abnormal anomalies in the magnetic field. As to what these powers can do is uncertain. Some claim it improves health while others believe they’re portals to other universes.

 Despite the claims, however, there’s no hard evidence that such powers on these line exist. No scientific studies or evidence has ever shown that magnetic anomalies existed in these areas, either.
 Still, despite the lack of evidence, there are many who claim they have solved the mystery of the ley line. An example was the New Age group called the Geo Group. They were paid £8,000 by the Seattle Arts Commission to do a ley line map of Seattle. The group used a photograph that resembled a hybrid satellite photo of the city. The group claimed it confirmed that Seattle was in tune with its ley-line system.
 Finally, ley lines have gone beyond its origin and have been used to explain other ancient concepts such as the Chinese belief in Feng shui, and the Nazca Lines in Peru. Watkins’s original concept may have been the most plausible explanation for these lines – if they truly existed. However, the lines have come have a unique meaning to those who believe in it.

 References:
"Source Link: http://www.helium.com/items/1681980-ley-lines-what-are-they
“Ley Lines (retrieved 2009)”; The Skeptic Dictionary; www.skepdoc.com
Energy Lines:  www.stonehenge-stone-circle.co.uk/energy-lines.htm
“Ley Lines (retrieved 2009)” ;Occultopedia; www.ocultopedia.com
“Ley-lines( retrieved 2009)”; Ancient-Wisdom. UK; www.ancient-wisdom.co.uk
Try Dowsing at Stonehenge with The Stonehenge Tour Company: www.StonehengeTours.com

Stonehenge Tour Guide