Archaeologists in Denmark discovered a prehistoric circular structure resembling Stonehenge, estimated to date from the Late Neolithic period around 2000 BCE, during construction work for a housing estate in the town of Aars. On Monday, they began further excavations to determine the structure's lifespan and function. The site comprises a circle with a diameter of about 30 meters, formed by approximately 45 Neolithic-era wooden posts placed about two meters apart.
The discovery began with the finding of a rich settlement from the Early Bronze Age, dating between 1700 to 1500 BCE, including a remarkable grave containing a bronze sword, at the building site in Aars during construction work for a residential development.
"It is a once in a lifetime find," said Sidsel Wahlin, a conservationist at the Vesthimmerland Museum in Aars, according to The Straits Times. She described the circular structure as strongly resembling Stonehenge in England and added, "The circle in Aars is the first one of this larger type that we can properly investigate."
"When my colleague and I opened a new part of the excavation, it turned out that the house and fence we wanted to uncover are the entrance to a very well-laid-out, slightly oval building," Wahlin explained, according to Dennik N.
The posts at the Danish site are arranged at intervals of about two meters, forming a circle that the archaeologists believe may have had a function. According to RTÉ, the archaeologists will also focus on the inner side of the circle to identify a possible smaller circle, following the British model.
"The circle points to a strong connection with the British henge world," Wahlin added. She said the next searches would seek to find if there were links between the region and other peoples, such as those who built Stonehenge.
"We are looking for ritual tools, such as flint arrowheads and daggers," she said, according to Dennik N.
"On the island of Bornholm, several small wooden circles have been discovered, which were considered sun temples due to the many stone sun discs found there," Wahlin stated.
Stonehenge in southern England comprises two circles of stones, believed to have been erected between 3100 BCE and 1600 BCE. The stones are aligned so that the rising sun shines exactly into the center of the circle at the summer and winter solstices.
The Danish site is dated to the end of the Neolithic period, about 4000 years ago, with the wooden circle estimated to date from about 2000 BCE. Archaeologists hope that further excavations will provide more insights into the structure's purpose and its possible connections to Stonehenge and other prehistoric sites.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.