Henge

A henge is an ancient monument or site that is marked by a boundary of one or more human-made formations of earth. They are usually circular or slightly oval in shape and formed by removing dirt to create a flat area that is surrounded by a ditch, bank of dirt, or both, in a specific order. Large stones may also encircle the space, and archeological evidence has demonstrated that many henges also include circles made of tall poles set into the ground. The purpose of henges is a subject of debate, but the consensus among experts is that they were ceremonial sites that may have been used in conjunction with religious rituals and burials. There are hundreds of henge sites around the world, but many of the best-known are located in the United Kingdom.

Background

The word henge comes from the Old English word hangan, which meant “hanging,” as in something that is suspended. It originally referred to the large lintel stones suspended between the standing sarsen stones in the world-famous monument known as Stonehenge on England’s Salisbury Plain. The ancient Saxon people gave Stonehenge its name centuries ago. As more similar circles were discovered, the term henge was appropriated from Stonehenge’s name and applied to the new sites. This is somewhat ironic, since not all experts think that Stonehenge meets the classic definition of a henge because of the placement of the ditch and earthworks that form its boundary.

While archaeologists continue to uncover new details about the purpose and origin of henges, they are generally believed to have been built beginning more than four to five thousand years ago. Key components of the first henges to be discovered are aligned with the sun or moon at important times of the year, such as the solstices, or the shortest and longest days of the year. This initially led archeologists to theorize that henges were built as sites to mark time or worship either the celestial bodies or gods connected to them. However, later discoveries of burial sites in and near henges led to a more recent theory that these were sacred ceremonial sites dedicated to remembering and honoring the dead.

Overview

In common usage, a henge is any ancient memorial site marked by a roughly circular collection of stones, earthen embankments, or indications that there was once a circle of standing wood poles. However, experts have a specific definition of a henge that depends on the placement of earthworks around a flattened area that is circular or oval in shape.

The earthwork is most commonly in the form of a ditch surrounded by a bank of dirt that was excavated from the flat area and ditch. Not all henges have ditches, however, and they can have as many as three or more concentric ditches of increasing sizes surrounding the flat area. The banks surrounding these ditches usually range between 15 and 90 feet (5 to 30 meters) in width and reach as high as 15 feet (5 meters).

Henges have one or more openings in the earthworks that allow entrance to the center of the henge. When there are two openings, they are usually directly opposite of each other. Experts have determined that the geography of the area where the henge is located seems to be the most important factor in determining the entrance placement. However, henges that have a single opening are slightly more likely to have the entrance in the north or northeast area of the formation.

Experts categorize henges by how many entrances and ditches are present. A Class I henge has one each of entrances, banks, and ditches. A Class IA has one entrance and bank but two ditches. Class II henges have two entrances on opposite sides, with one bank and ditch. Class IIA henges have two opposite entrances and at least two ditches but only one bank. A Class III henge includes four entrances that are located in opposing pairs and one bank and ditch. Henges with two openings are most common.

Most henges fall into the range of about 330 feet (110 meters) in diameter. However, some super-henges of enormous size have been uncovered, including Durrington Walls, which is located just a few miles from Stonehenge. Although the stones of the site were toppled and the earthworks surrounding it toppled, researchers have determined that it once enclosed an area of greater than 1 mile (1.5 kilometers). Another large henge is known as Avebury and is large enough that an entire town now sits inside of it. At the other extreme are mini henges that are only 45 to 60 feet (15 to 20 meters) across.

The henges were dug without the benefit of any metal tools. Evidence found while excavating at henge sites indicates that the workers used picks made from antlers. The henges would have required vast amounts of labor and effort to construct and so must have held great significance for those who built them.

Researchers are unsure why the henges were built. Stonehenge was the first ancient formation of this type to be identified. The fact that it aligns with the solstices, combined with the fact that other ancient non-henge monuments also align with the solstice, led many to believe that the monuments were made to mark and worship the passing of the seasons. However, more recent excavations have uncovered evidence of large ceremonial cremations and burials at the site. This, combined with some previously unnoticed markings on some stones, has led to more contemporary theories that the sites were areas for burying and honoring the dead.

Many henges seem to be connected. There are long pathways, called avenues, that lead from the openings of one to the openings of another, even if the area between them has been obscured by more recent construction. A number of henges also bear signs that they were built by the same groups of people. These signs include pottery fragments and other artifacts that indicate a particular group was responsible for their creation. Many henges also include evidence that they were built in stages or added to over time, much like some churches and other types of sacred sites. This has further convinced some experts that these were sites that were considered sacred over many centuries and may have been used for different purposes over time. Additional information about the purpose and construction of henges continues to be uncovered as new sites are discovered on land and even underwater. New henge sites continued to be discovered into the 2020s. In 2024, an earthwork henge containing artifacts covering an extended time period was discovered in eastern England. Two additional prehistoric stone circles were found in 2024 in Dartmoor National Park in the United Kingdom. Their layout supported the theory that henges held religious or ceremonial significance. 

Bibliography

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Natale, Michael. “Scientists Discovered Two New Stonehenge-Like Structures. They Might Help Form a ‘Sacred Arc.’” Popular Mechanics, 20 Nov. 2024, www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a62950696/stonehenge-megalith. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Peterson, Elizabeth. “'Super-Henge' Revealed: A New English Mystery Is Uncovered.” Live Science, 8 Sept. 2015, www.livescience.com/52112-super-henge-discovered-near-stonehenge.html. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

“Why Was Stonehenge Built?” History, 21 June 2023, www.history.com/news/why-was-stonehenge-built. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

“The Word ‘Henge’—What Does It Mean?” Stonehenge Stone Circle News and Information, 4 Dec. 2010, blog.stonehenge-stone-circle.co.uk/2010/04/12/the-word-henge-what-does-it-mean. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.