Stonehenge. An Interpretation. by Malcolm Taylor

Author:Malcolm Taylor [Taylor, Malcolm]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2017-11-06T16:00:00+00:00

The Trilithons

Before beginning any interpretation of the overall sarsen layout we need to look briefly at the central feature of Stonehenge, namely the five trilithons. These are all taller than the outer circle yet their form, with two uprights and a lintel, seems to be borrowed from it. For some reason, however, the gap between the uprights has been reduced to an extremely narrow 30 centimetres for the first couple of metres above ground, which makes it impossible for an adult human being to squeeze through. The trilithons are laid out in a horseshoe shape, beginning, at the open end, with an opposing pair slightly higher than the outer circle, then comes a second pair higher still, and finally at the top of the horseshoe, and standing astride the Solstice line, the Great Trilithon, the tallest of them all. Just a reminder: the Solstice line is simply shorthand for that diameter of the circle which indicates midsummer sunrise in one direction and midwinter sunset in the other.

The traditional numbering of the trilithons does not in fact follow this gradual increase in height. Instead it starts with the trilithon in the SE whose uprights are labelled 51 and 52 and follows the horseshoe round in a clockwise direction so that its opposite partner, having the same height, consists of Stones 59 and 60. As with the outer circle, the lintels are all given the same number as the higher of their supports plus 100. Unfortunately, Stone 55, half of the Great Trilithon, and Stone 59, lie broken on the ground with their associated lintels beside them.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.