Scientists have solved one of the mysteries of Stonehenge: it has been puzzled over for 300 years. Photo

Scientists have finally identified the origin of the Saracen stones that form Stonehenge, a megalithic structure in Wiltshire, England. Most of them were delivered from the inconspicuous West Woods forest, which is located about 25 km north of the stone circle.

As reported by Express.co.uk, the original home of the huge boulders was a quiet area of the English countryside. Earlier, experts found that Stonehenge's blue stones (the smaller ones inside the ring) come from the Preseli Hills in South Wales.

The origin of the sarsens for the second ring has been the subject of research. It was previously assumed that they were moved from the Marlborough Downs. But a more recent analysis by a group of archaeologists and geologists from around the world suggests that this is not the case.

Scientists have found evidence that the stones were located in the West Woods forest. This is about 25 km from Stonehenge, while Marlborough Downs is further away - at a distance of about 32 km.

Professor Mike Parker Pearson, co-author of the study, said:"This puts an end to more than 300 years of controversy... The West Woods was the location closest to Stonehenge where the largest and most suitable monoliths could be quarried and transported along a relatively easy route without much obstruction."

However, Pearson noted that transporting such heavy stones without modern machinery is an amazing achievement. "Most likely, instead of using rollers, the stones were placed on wooden sleds that were pulled along logs laid like rails," the researcher suggested.

The large stones are made of sarsen and weigh on average 10 to 30 tons. Their height is about 7 meters.

The origin of the stones was established thanks to trace elements. Scientists have created an approximate map of all potential sites with the highest concentration of such material.

"It's been really exciting to use 21st century science to understand the Neolithic past and finally answer a question that archaeologists have been debating for centuries," said Professor David Nash, lead author of the study.

He and his colleagues analyzed the stones by chemical composition. Apparently, only two of the 52 sarsens came from somewhere else.

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