Jennifer Nalewicki is a Salt Lake City-based journalist whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Scientific American, Popular Mechanics and more. She covers several science topics from planet Earth to paleontology and archaeology to health and culture. Prior to freelancing, Jennifer held an Editor role at Time Inc.
Researchers now know the exact region in Scotland where Stonehenge's Altar Stone originated, thanks to a chemical analysis of the behemoth rock's geological makeup.
For years, it was thought that the Altar Stone originated in Wales. However, a 2023 analysis of the large stone determined that it may have come from as far north as Scotland, since it contained large amounts of barium, similar to other stones in that area. This discovery helped researchers narrow down the stone's true origin.
For this new analysis, researchers studied mineral grains from two fragments of the Altar Stone, which revealed that it contains an abundance of minerals such as zircon, apatite and rutile. Researchers discovered that the mineral makeup matched that of rocks from the Orcadian Basin, an area that encompasses northeastern Scotland as well as the Orkney and Shetland islands and sits roughly 466 miles from Stonehenge today, according to the statement.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.So how did Stonehenge's creators transport the enormous rock such a long distance?
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