A group of archaeologists at Stonehenge have made an incredible discovery that could answer many of the questions surrounding the mystery of Stonehenge.
The researchers from the Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project (SHLP) uncovered a large, Neolithic monument nearby the Stonehenge site.
The monument, which consists of 20 shafts, forms a circle around the Durrington Walls, an ancient settlement.
The archaeologists say they were astonished to find the shafts, which measured 2 km in diameter and date back to 4500 years ago, the same period as Stonehenge.
Researchers believe the ring of pits may have been built as a boundary to protect Durrington Walls, or a divider between Durrington and Stonehenge.
“This is an unprecedented find of major significance within the UK,” said Vincent Gaffney, one of the archaeologists who led the project.
“Key researchers on Stonehenge and its landscape have been taken aback by the scale of the structure and the fact that it hadn’t been discovered until now so close to Stonehenge.”
“I can’t emphasise enough the effort that would have gone in to digging such large shafts with tools of stone, wood and bone,” he added.
While the significance of the monument remains unclear, the researchers say the discovery will help piece together the puzzling story around Stonehenge and shows “an even more complex society than we could ever imagine.”