Houses of the Holy: Architecture and Meaning in the Structure of Stonehenge, Wiltshire, UK

Stonehenge's central structures, including the Sarsen Trilithons and bluestones, served multiple symbolic purposes over time. Initially, they represented a 'big house' or sacred dwelling with a square-in-circle motif during the early third millennium BC. Later, rearrangements formed an oval setting, possibly embodying a lunar month time-reckoning system. The addition of over 80 bluestones from west Wales, each reflecting diverse lithologies, created a microcosm of distant landscapes, reinforcing Stonehenge's significance for water and healing associations. This study re-evaluates the monument's construction sequence to uncover its evolving symbolic meanings.

Darvill, T. (2016). Houses of the Holy: Architecture and Meaning in the Structure of Stonehenge, Wiltshire, UK. Time and Mind, 9(2), 89–121. https://doi.org/10.1080/1751696x.2016.1171496