By William Gowland, F.S.A., FIC. 39 


























excavated to a depth of about 4 feet 6 inches below the datum 
line, and the chalk rock was left as an almost level platform without 
_ any very distinct cavity. 
A large block of sarsen was apparently placed immediately below 
_ its lowest point, and then behind this other large blocks were piled 
up in such a manner (Fig. 8) that the projecting boss at the back 
of the stone would rest on and be supported by them. - 
The stone was then raised in the same way as No. 56, and as 
soon as it was vertical, the two largest blocks (Fig. 2) were fixed 
under it in front, and the large stone mauls were fitted into the 
interspaces there to give additional support. 
From the precarious nature of this packing of stones, it will be 
evident how very easily the stone would be overthrown by any 
excavation made in its neighbourhood. 
As regards the raising of the lintels and imposts, and placing 
_ them on the tops of the uprights, there would be even less difficulty 
than in the erection of the uprights themselves. 
It could be easily effected by the simple method practised in 
_ Japan for placing heavy blocks of stone in position. 
The stone, when lying on the ground, would be raised a little at 
one end by means of long wooden levers. A packing of logs would 
then be placed under the end so raised, the other extremity of the 
gradually reached the height of the uprights. It would then be 
simply pushed forward by levers until it rested upon them. 
An important question now arises: are the “bluestones” and 
th € sarsens contemporaneous, or were they set up at different times? 
- Some special value, perchance, merely from their colour or rarity, 
mu st have been attached to the “bluestones,” otherwise, the ex- 
cessive labour required for shaping them would not have been 
undertaken. 
_ According to a venerable legend, they were brought from Ireland, 
or other distant place, and were set up as a sacred circle, to which, 
it has been supposed, the sarsen trilithons and circle were added 
at a later period in honour of their sanctity. That neither the 
