40 



Recent Excavations at Stonehenge. 



legend nor the supposition is true, and that both the " bluestone " 

 monoliths and the sarsen blocks are contemporaneous we have 

 ample proofs, as has already been shown in the mode of occurrence 

 of their chippings and of the stones themselves. 



Still further evidence in this direction, if such is needed, is 

 afforded by the manner in which the sarsens were set up. That 

 the stones of the central trilithon were erected from the inside of 

 the circle has been conclusively demonstrated by the excavations, 

 hence the " bluestones " in front cannot have been erected before 

 them. Moreover the " bluestone," No. 68, the base of which was 

 laid bare in Excavation V., was found to be set in the rubble which 

 had been used to fill up the foundation of No. 56, and further, in a 

 lower layer than its base, there were two small blocks of sarsen 

 with tooled surfaces. 



Whether the outer sarsens were set up from the inside of the 

 circle like the trilithons, or from the outside, is a point which can 

 only be settled by future excavations. If from the inside their 

 erection must have preceded that of the trilithons and hence of 

 the " bluestones." 



On the other hand, should the outer sarsens have been raised 

 from the outside, it would not be possible for the " bluestones " to 

 have been placed in position before them, as they would then have 

 seriously interfered with if not altogether prevented the erecting 

 ' operations. 



The venerable traditions which tell of the earlier date and more 

 sacred character of the " bluestones " are hence shown to have 

 no foundation in fact, they are merely the creations of poetical 

 imagination. No long interval of time separated the erection of 

 the sarsen and the." bluestone " monoliths, although the work must 

 have occupied a considerable period. The monument as a whole 

 is of one date. Its parts do not belong to different ages. 



Age of Stonehenge. 

 As regards the age of Stonehenge we have now to consider how 

 far the objects found in the excavations throw light on that im- 

 portant and much disputed subject. 



