Unit three. Famous buildings

1. Reading Comprehension text 1. Mystery of Stonehenge

(1) What makes the enormous group of rocks called Stonehenge so famous? The answer is simple: Its huge, impressive stones sit atop a slight hill on Salisbury Plain, 80 miles west of London, England, and are visible at a distance from all sides. For centuries, the site has intrigued visitors and passersby. Yet, despite years of investigation, questions remain. Who built it? And, why?

(2) A thousand-years ago, people thought the mythical magician Merlin built Stonehenge. They reasoned that only a magician could have moved such enormous stones. After all, the biggest – those we call sarsens – average 26 tons each, and the largest sarsen weighs 45 tons and measures 30 feet in height. The smaller stones – those known as bluestones – average four tons each. About 250 years ago, an expert of the time proposed the idea that the Druids built Stonehenge. Unfortunately, it was this theory that remained in most people’s minds. Even today visitors to the site ask, ‘Didn’t the Druids build Stonehenge?’ The answer is a definite ‘NO!’ The Druids did not reach the British Isles until 1,000 years after construction at Stonehenge had ceased.

(3) Today, archaeological evidence confirms that Stonehenge was built by the prehistoric people who lived in the area. About 3000 B.C., even before the stone circle was built, wooden posts were erected and surrounded by a henge (see page 10). Over the next 1,500 years, leaders in the area directed their architects and workers to build various structures within the henge. The main reason for this construction was probably to hold seasonal ceremonies. It seems that there were different phases and arrangements over the 1,500 years of building; however, the heel stone, set a few yards outside the circle, was always the focus. The stones were placed so an observer could see through them to watch the rays of the rising midsummer sun light up a place near the heel stone. But Stonehenge is not just stones. It is surrounded by an enormous bank and ditch, outside of which are 56 holes, called the Aubrey Holes after their discoverer, John Aubrey. Their purpose is not known. Nearby are other sacred places, including what is called The Avenue, which leads from the Avon River up to the stones. There are also many burial places around Stonehenge called barrows.

(4) In 2002, archaeologists were asked to investigate the site of a future housing development located near Amesbury, a few miles from Stonehenge. To their amazement, a burial was uncovered that contained more objects than any other burial site in Britain from this period. Among the finds were the bones of a man dating to 2300 B.C. Archaeologists named him the Amesbury Archer because there were stone wrist guards buried with him, as well as many stone arrowheads and a stone toolkit for butchering carcasses and making additional arrowheads. Nearby, the remains of a younger man from the same period, with gold hair fasteners beside him, were uncovered. Analysis of the bone structure of both men revealed that the two were related. A year later, the bones of four adults and two children were found just three miles from Stonehenge. They, too, were from the same period. Archaeologists determined that the huge sarsens came from 20 to 30 miles north of Stonehenge. Chiefs or directors must have organized the transport of such tremendous weights. How they moved the stones is still not certain – perhaps with sleds, rollers, or even a greased wooden trackway. As for the smaller bluestones – archaeologists still disagree about their origins and transport. Were they brought from the mountains of Wales and floated on rafts down the Bristol Channel? Or did the retreating glaciers leave a few bluestones on nearby Salisbury Plain, where people collected them? Construction at Stonehenge finally stopped about 1500 B.C. Why building came to an end is unclear. Probably beliefs had changed, and it was no longer important to use stones in sacred ceremonies.

(5) Today, Stonehenge has a modern problem – too many visitors, about 1,000,000 each year. Thus, the question is how to preserve Stonehenge for the future while, at the same time, making its stones and the surrounding historic landscape accessible to all. One solution involves the two highways that run by the site. Most agree that one should be closed. The other could have a partial tunnel that would take vehicles below ground as they ride by the site, thereby reducing noise, earth movement, and exhaust pollution. Another solution would be for visitors to travel about the site on a small train that offers a recorded tour. Such a project is being discussed, along with the problems it presents: the route of the track and the location of the path that will allow visitors an opportunity to see the stones up close. There are many details to be resolved, but, as one expert says, ‘Stonehenge has been here for thousands of years; let’s not be hasty!’

(6) The word ‘megalith’ traces its roots to the Greek words mega (‘great’) and lithos (‘stone’). Megaliths come in many shapes, sizes, and forms and can be found throughout the world. Those that are freestanding are known as menhirs; others are rows of stones called alignments. Still others form circles. There are also upright stones topped with a capstone to form a burial place. These are dolmens. Sometimes, they form a long passageway that leads to a burial chamber. The earliest megaliths are found on Malta and date to about 3500 B.C.