Stonehenge, the famous English archaeological site, had connections throughout Europe

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What are the other secrets of Stonehenge? An exhibition which opens Thursday, February 17 at the British Museum in London immerses visitors in “The world of Stonehenge” (“The world of Stonehenge” in the original version). Among the discoveries are more than 430 pieces which attest to frequent exchanges and technological advances shared several thousand years BC, between the British Isles and the European continent.

In the dark room where all these objects are exhibited, some for the first time in the United Kingdom, we hear the sea, birds, the sounds of tools… projected several thousand years back. It is finally less a question of Stonehenge, the archaeological site itself, the most famous in England, of which many secrets have already been pierced, than of many other places, on the British Isles or even in Europe. In particular France, from which several exhibits come.

Jennifer Wexler, curator of this exhibition walks through its aisles without trying to hide her excitement. This project is finally seeing the light of day after a colossal amount of work: “What we discovered from the archaeological record is the connection between people at that time, over huge areas. There was a sort of ongoing conversation across the British Isles but also with the Continent. We wanted to show this richness. Stonehenge is just a gateway into this world. People are going to be amazed because they’ve never seen anything like it.“

Stonehenge was built 4,500 years ago, around the same time as the Great Pyramid in Egypt. Two different civilizations, thousands of kilometers apart, but common ideas with an essential relationship to nature, to the elements: earth, fire, water… If the monumental circle of stones is erected in this way Stonehenge is absolutely not by chance. We now know with certainty that its builders observed the movements of the sun, according to the seasons. The positioning of the stars also plays an important role in the organization of the site.

Precisely one of the centerpieces of this exhibition takes up exactly the same information. The Nebra celestial disc is a circular bronze piece 30 cm in diameter, discovered in Germany. It is dated around 1500 BC. “This is the first map of the cosmos, there had never been one before. We didn’t even think it existed until this discovery. We find there a large part of the knowledge, beliefs found at Stonehenge. These alignments in connection with key moments of the sun, we also find them in the celestial disc of Nebra. There are also sunrises and sunsets on the longest and shortest days of the year. We see the alignment of stars particularly useful in agricultural activities. And many other decisive astronomical observations.”, precise Jennifer Wexler.

The Nebra Celestial Disk is a circular bronze piece 30cm in diameter. Discovered in Germany, it is dated around 1500 years before our era (RICHARD PLACE / RADIO FRANCE)

These links between objects, customs, habits tell the permanent exchanges on the British Isles but also with the continent. Moreover, some parts that make up the celestial disc of Nebra come from Cornwall, in the far west of England.

On the back wall of the dark room, a sun constantly rises and sets. A play of light reminiscent of Stonehenge of course and which evokes most of the pieces presented, linked to the stars. The Neolithic peoples were connected, they exchanged, shared, they were part of the same world, the “World of Stonehenge”, according to the British Museum.


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