World’s Most Mystifying Standing Stones

There are several megalithic sites around the world that have intrigued historians and scientists for centuries. There have been several theories around their existence and relevance - were they a place of ritual or worship, did they serve as an astronomical site? Here are some of such sites and their relevance.

Stonehenge, England

The most iconic megalithic site is in Salisbury, England. The site has a religious and sacred value as even today, pagans gather around it and celebrate summer and winter solstices. It is said that the Neolithic people started building it some 3000 years back. Historians believe that the building stones were brought to England on rafts down the river, then rolled on wooden sleighs!

Mysterious Stone Spheres of Costa Rica

These stones are made of hard solidified lava or magma rock like granodiorite. It is believed that these stones were naturally carved but rather shaped by humans. The true purpose of these spherical stones is not known;however, it is believed that they might be astronomical or navigational tools. If you are in the US, you may not need to travel to Costa Rica to see them as two of them were transported here; one is in Washington DC and the other in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Carnac in France

A legend says, when the Roman Army approached Brittany, Merlin the Wizard turned their soldiers into stones. There are thousands of single upright monoliths called menhirs around the small village of Carnac in Brittany, France. Exactly, there are 3000 in number, as high as 20 feet and covering a length of 4 miles around the town. Historians connect the site to a place of worship, perhaps leading people to a place of worship!

Avebury Henge, England

Not too far away from Stonehenge, you can see the world’s largest prehistoric stone circle in the serene village of Avebury. The circle has nearly 100 megaliths and has two smaller stone circles within it. Archaeologists believe that the site comprising of circles, henges and avenues of stones was used for some form of ceremony, probably religious, but the exact details of the same are not known to date.

Gochang Dolmen site in South Korea

This World Heritage Site has a record number of ancient dolmens - tombs built from large stone slabs in the world. It is believed to be a prehistoric burial site spread across the Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa areas of South Korea. These early Bronze Age structures are formed from two or more stones with a large capstone as a roof, forming a marker for an ancient burial site.