By William. Gowland, F.S.A., F.I.C. 



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 

 stone would be similarly raised and packed, and the raising and 

 packing at alternate ends would be continued until the block had 

 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 

 the sarsens contemporaneous, or were they set up at different times? 



Some special value, perchance, merely from their colour or rarity, 

 must 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 



