38 



Recent Excavations at Stonehenge. 



On the north-east side of the ledge the rock had been entirely 

 removed to a depth of about 7 feet near the north corner of the 

 stone, and of about 11 feet in front of the opposite corner. 



From the bottom of this hole at a point not determined, as it was 

 not exposed in the excavations, an inclined plane of rock sloping 

 down from the interior of the enclosure was apparently cut, as 

 only 25 feet from the front of the stone the chalk reaches to within 

 2 feet of the surface. 



Both the rubble and chalk were also dug away for a considerable 

 distance to the north-west, and to a depth of 3 or 4 feet on the 

 south-west. For some reason which is not evident, part of the 

 perpendicular face of the chalk was cut away at the west corner, 

 it may have been, however, to facilitate the adjustment of the 

 stones on which the sloping side of the base was to rest. 



Its site having been thus prepared, the monolith, which had 

 already been dressed, was slid down the inclined plane into the 

 cavity until its base rested on the ledge. 



It was then gradually raised into a vertical position by means of 

 levers and ropes. The levers would be long trunks of trees, to one 

 end of which a number of ropes were attached, as in J apan, so that 

 the weights and pulling force of many men might be exerted on 

 them. The stronger ropes were probably of hide or hair, but others 

 of straw, or of withes of hazel or willow, may have been in use for 

 minor purposes. 



As the stone was being raised, it was packed up with logs of 

 timber and probably also with blocks of stone placed beneath it. 



After its upper end had reached a certain elevation, ropes were 

 attached to it and it was then hauled by numerous men into a 

 vertical position, so that its back rested against the perpendicular 

 face of the chalk which had been prepared for it. During this 

 part of the operation, struts of timber would be placed against its 

 sides to guard against slip. 



Two blocks of sarsen were then placed under the oblique side of 

 the base, the excavation was filled in with rubble, and the erection 

 of the next stone, No. 55, proceeded with. 



In the case of this stone, the site it was to occupy was only 



