1922] 



WEST, STONEHENGE 



137 



in an official publication, edited by Mr. Frank Stevens, entitled 

 "Stonehenge Today and Yesterday," from which all the following quo- 

 tations are taken when not otherwise indicated and from which several 

 of the illustrations were made. 



It is hoped that the contents of this short paper may be of value 

 for comparison with our American antiquities. 



STONEHENGE 

 Probably the most interesting of all European prehistoric remains 

 are to be found on the Salisbury Plain. There, surrounded by earth- 

 works for miles in every direction, is ancient Stonehenge. Figure 

 78, shows a bird's-eye view of a reconstruction of this great site, while 

 figtu'e 79, shows a general view of the monument as it appears today. 



Fig. 79.^Stonehenge as it appears today. 



Figure 80 shows a nearer view of a portion of the great outer circle 

 in which the lintels are still in place, and also several of the outer circle 

 of foreign stones. 



"Stonehenge is a circular monument (figure 78-1), enclosed by a 

 circular earthwork, and approached by an avenue lying northeast and 

 southwest. Without the stone circle lie four Sarsen^- stones. The 



^-The woi'd "Sarsen" seems to be a corruption of the word "Saracen" and 

 came down to us from the Middle Ages. To the people of that time "all stone 

 circles and megalithic monuments were the work of infidels, heathens and even 

 the devil himself." "The Saracen stood for all that was antagonistic to Christ- 

 ianity" — consequently the stones of Stonehenge, being considered heathen 

 stones, acquired the name Saracen stones, now shortened to Sarsen. These 

 "Sarsen Stones" of Wiltshire are "the remains of a cap of Tertiary sandstone 

 which once covered the plain." 



