Until the 16th century most Britons thought stone circles were natural—only Stonehenge was seen as human-made (attributed to Merlin in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 Historia Regum Britanniae). Barrows were recognized as burial mounds because human bones and grave goods were found in them. In the 17th century, antiquarians like John Aubrey began recognizing Avebury as ancient human monuments—though some locals still viewed isolated standing stones as natural features.
Medieval British didn't recognize megaliths as human-made until 16th century
EnglandTheory
Key facts
- Until the 16th century, most people in Britain didn't recognize prehistoric stone structures as being made by human beings
- Stonehenge was seen as unique and clearly made by human hands, attributed to Merlin by Geoffrey of Monmouth
- Barrowes with megalithic chambers were recognized as burial mounds because human bones and grave goods were found in them
- Standing stones were regarded as natural features, not monuments
- In the 17th century, people around Avebury regarded the stones and avenues as natural phenomena
- Medieval people divided monuments into categories: Stonehenge (unique/human-made), barrows (burial mounds), and standing stones (natural features)
Site mentioned
Sources
Interview with Mike Parker Pearson | The Origins of Stonehengerostarchitects.com
So, it's saying that Stonehenge is actually built on to the southwest end of a particular natural, a natural landmark. And yeah, I think that's ...
Here to Engelonde | History on the Edge | Manifold@UMinnPressmanifold.umn.edu
During the thirteenth century, a post-colonial Britain remained a furtive dream for the Welsh. Yet for the English, it gradually receded into the past. In this ...
Archaeology and legend: investigating Stonehengejournals.uclpress.co.uk
The legend of Merlin and Stonehenge. According to Geoffrey, Stonehenge's origins lay in a time of conflict between Britons and invading Saxons in the aftermath ...
Did Merlin Steal Stonehenge From the Irish?irishmyths.com
According to the 12th-century Welsh cleric Geoffrey of Monmouth, he absolutely did. But the famed magician of Arthurian legend didn't do it alone.
Stonehenge and the Imagination | History Todayhistorytoday.com
Geoffrey Grigson explores how a variety of views of Stonehenge has surfaced, and re-surfaced, in popular literature over time.
Was this story useful?
Keep exploring
Every site on this page sits on the globe, and the people who research them are on the Discord.
3D Globe · Sites by country · Story Archive · Research Library · Weekly Journal · Search
AI-generated text · images from the original sources · always verify with the sources.