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Archaeologists have discovered what may be an early prototype of Stonehenge just three miles east of the famous monument in the village of Bulford, southern England. The newly unearthed structure, believed to be about 5,000 years old, consisted of two large wooden posts set in pits that lined up precisely with the rising sun at the summer solstice and the setting sun at the winter solstice—mirroring Stonehenge’s iconic alignment.
The team from Wessex Archaeology announced on Thursday that radiocarbon dating shows the Bulford site predates the well-known stone circle by roughly 500 years. Phil Harding, lead archaeologist on the project, said in a statement, "What we've discovered at Bulford is 500 years earlier than the famous stones we know so well." He described the find as one of the most significant of his career, highlighting its importance for understanding ancient astronomy.
Excavations at Bulford also revealed pottery, flint tools, animal bones, and a rare disc-shaped knife, suggesting the site was used for ceremonies and social gatherings.
The findings, analyzed over several years since the original excavation between 2015 and 2017, show that local communities were celebrating celestial events at Bulford centuries before Stonehenge’s massive stones were put in place.
The full details of the Bulford site's significance are still being studied, but the discovery offers new insight into the origins of monument building in ancient Britain and the enduring importance of the sun in people’s lives.