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Archaeologists come across underwater structure that could help solve the mystery of Stonehenge

The discovery was made just off the coast of Israel in 1984 and may have solved the mystery behind Stonehenge.
PUBLISHED JUL 11, 2024
Cover Image Source: YouTube I @Smithsonian Channel
Cover Image Source: YouTube I @Smithsonian Channel

From the pyramids of Egypt to the Nazca lines of Peru, mysterious structures and questions about how they came into being have baffled archaeologists for decades. One of those is the prehistoric Stonehenge in England, which is also the subject of several conspiracy theories connecting it to everything from religious rituals to aliens. It is a set of massive rocks arranged in a peculiar manner to create a circular area that many see as a space for rituals or even an ancient burial site. However, the true reason for its construction has eluded researchers for years. But as part of a recent development, the Smithsonian Channel's short video 'Stonehenge-like Structures Have Been Found All Over the World' has documented a discovery off the coast of Israel that could explain why Stonehenge was built in the first place.

Image Source: Revellers take part in celebrations to mark the winter solstice at Stonehenge prehistoric monument on December 22, 2014 in Amesbury, England. (Photo by Rufus Cox/Getty Images)
Image Source: Revellers take part in celebrations to mark the winter solstice at the Stonehenge prehistoric monument on December 22, 2014, in Amesbury, England. (Photo by Rufus Cox/Getty Images)

The revelation was made in the small Israeli town of Atlit which came under the spotlight as part of the Smithsonian Channel's short documentary that featured maritime archaeologist Ehud Galili. He had initially dived around 400 meters offshore searching for shipwrecks revealed by shifting sands after a heavy storm. It was during this foray into the depths of the ocean that he came across an ancient settlement submerged in the water, which opened a window into the past.

Representative Image Source: Pexels I Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom
Representative Image Source: Pexels I Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom

In the documentary, Galili was quoted saying, "Usually we find remnants from shipwrecks like anchors, metal, nails, all kinds of artifacts. But while we were diving here we found a wall." 

Further investigation revealed that the wall was once part of a house, and most importantly it was not alone. Within days of the initial discovery, more foundations were spotted on the site, which helped the team dig out more details about a monument far away.

It was found that it was almost 9,000 years old, making it one of the oldest human settlements on Earth. The team found a stone circle similar to Stonehenge, and experts now believe that these structures acted as cup holders for rituals that involved water. It is also possible that this circle, like Stonehenge and others, was built by the same civilization that was widespread during that era.

Cover Image Source:  Visitors view the ancient neolithic monument of Stonehenge on October 13, 2015 in Wiltshire, England. . (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
 Image Source: Visitors view the ancient neolithic monument of Stonehenge on October 13, 2015, in Wiltshire, England. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

The documentary also shed light on the skeletons of the now underwater settlement's former residents. Galili noted, "We found about 15 family houses," and added, "We estimated that the population was between 70 to 150 people at one time." Not just that, the researcher and his team stumbled upon a major archaeological site, as he explained, "We found walls, dwellings, structure in situ as they were left."

The documentary further reveals that Radiocarbon dating was used to unravel the true age of this ancient site.

The underwater excavation also saw the discovery of grooves carved into three oval stones that form anthropomorphic figures which indicated that they were likely figures of little gods, reported Mirror. In a segment inside the documentary, Mary-Ann Ochota, an anthropologist and archaeologist, talked about the relevance of the Stone Monument. She said, "When you're looking at Stonehenge you're seeing a culmination of the labor of people, extraordinary use of resources, and an astonishingly complex, perfectly executed idea."



 

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