Quarrying of Stonehenge 'bluestones' dated to 3000 BC

According to a new study led by University College London, the excavation of two quarries in Wales, known as the source of Stonehenge 'Bluestone', provides new evidence for boulder quarrying 5,000 years ago.

Geologists have long known that the 42 small stones of Stonehenge, known as the "Bluestone", come from the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. Now, a new study published in ancient times identified the exact location of two quarries and revealed the timing and manner of quarrying.

The discovery was made up of archaeologists and geologists from University College London, Bournemouth University, Southampton University, the University of the Highlands and Islands, and the National Museum of Wales, who have been investigating these sites for eight years. .

Professor Mike Parker Pearson (Architecture at University College London) and team leader said: "The exciting thing about these findings is that they bring us closer to unlocking the biggest mystery of Stonehenge - why its stones come from far away places."

"Every Neolithic monument in Europe is built from megaliths no more than 10 miles away.

We are now looking for something special about the Preseli hills 5,000 years ago, and whether there are any important stone circles here, built before the Bluestone was moved to Stonehenge.

The largest quarry is located on the outcrop of Carn Goedog on the northern slopes of the Preseli hills, about 180 miles from Stonehenge.