How has Stonehenge been damaged?

How has Stonehenge been damaged?

Road workers have been accused of damaging a 6,000-year-old site near Stonehenge as part of preparations for a controversial tunnel. Highways England engineers monitoring water levels dug the 3.5 metre deep bore hole through the prehistoric platform.

Is Stonehenge getting destroyed?

“The world heritage site where Stonehenge sits is over 5km long but the tunnel is under 3km. This means a dual carriageway will emerge from both portals within this unique and protected landscape,” he said. “There will be almost total destruction of all archaeological remains within its path.”

When was Stonehenge destroyed?

Stonehenge has been repaired An entire trilithon fell down in 1797, and in 1900 one of the upright sarsens of the outer circle fell down, along with its lintel.

What is wrong with Stonehenge tunnel?

The tunnel itself would pass too deep to cause archaeological damage; it’s the entry points that are the bone of contention. “There would be extensive tunnel cuttings into the chalk for four lanes of tarmac, and massive highway interchanges through sensitive archaeological areas,” says the Stonehenge Alliance.

Is Stonehenge in danger?

Now, the United Nations’ heritage agency has confirmed that Stonehenge will indeed be added to its Heritage in Danger list and then potentially stripped of its World Heritage Site status if a roughly $2.3 billion highway tunnel near the archaeological icon is permitted to be built as planned.

How much money does Stonehenge make?

Its ability to do this is strongly dependent on Stonehenge, which brings in 21% of its annual income of about £112m and which, with its 1.5 million visitors a year, attracts a million more than the next-most popular site, Dover Castle.

How did they transport the stones to Stonehenge?

To erect a stone, people dug a large hole with a sloping side. The back of the hole was lined with a row of wooden stakes. The stone was then moved into position and hauled upright using plant fibre ropes and probably a wooden A-frame. Weights may have been used to help tip the stone upright.

Why do they want a tunnel under Stonehenge?

Supporters say the highway tunnel will relieve traffic congestion and improve the visitor experience. Opponents fear the loss of ancient artifacts still hidden underground. A traffic-snarled stretch of road near Stonehenge will be replaced with a tunnel, the British government has announced.

How is Stonehenge protected?

Preservation Status: Stonehenge now has a rope around it, restricting access so as to protect it from the millions of visitors who flock to it each year. An interpretive center with recorded informational headsets helps tourists learn what the archaeologists have been able to detect about Stonehenge.

Why is Stonehenge losing its World Heritage status?

The UN’s heritage body said it was removing the city’s historic waterfront from the list – which includes sites such as the Taj Mahal, Venice and the Great Wall of China – because its “outstanding universal value” had been compromised by new and proposed buildings, including Everton football club’s new £500m stadium.

How many tourists visit Stonehenge?

Stonehenge Today. One of the most famous and recognizable sites in the world, Stonehenge draws more than 800,000 tourists a year, many of whom also visit the region’s numerous other Neolithic and Bronze Age marvels.

How did they build Stonehenge?

The native Neolithic people of England began construction of Stonehenge I by digging a circular ditch using deer antlers as picks. The circle is 320 feet in diameter, and the ditch itself was 20 feet wide and 7 feet deep. Next, they used the chalky rubble taken from the ditch to built a steep bank circle just inside the outer circle.

What was the Stonehenge used for?

Today, Stonehenge is used by pagan religions which have some similarities. Druids often use Stonehenge for formal ceremonies, normally long before the tourists arrive. Nobody knows for sure what Stonehenge was used for; that is part of the appeal and fun of visiting Stonehenge.

Why was Stonehenge built?

Why was Stonehenge built? Many experts have put forward reasons, principally related to the seasons and the cycles of the sun and moon . Perhaps less supported have been theories about the stones as a centre for healing or in creating a sound box for drumming or even as a bird perch.