'Prototype' of Stonehenge Discovered: Wooden Post Structure Predates Famous Monument by 500 Years

Discovery Near Stonehenge

Archaeologists have discovered a structure about five kilometers from Stonehenge, the world-famous prehistoric monument, which they are calling a kind of “prototype” of the stone circle. Only two holes remain in the ground from the older construction, but researchers are confident that these once held wooden posts aligned in the same way as the stones of Stonehenge—according to the position of the Sun during the summer and winter solstices.

The monument is believed to have been created around 5,000 years ago—about 500 years earlier than Stonehenge. Excavations also uncovered numerous artifacts indicating that the area was a place for gatherings and rituals, including pottery, flint tools, and animal bones.

“These two post holes can tell me much more about the people who lived 5,000 years ago. It’s the story of whole communities—how they thought, behaved, and how they revered the heavenly bodies,” said archaeologist Phil Harding from Wessex Archaeology, calling the find one of the most important in his long career.

Solar Alignment

The placement of the posts mirrors the principle behind Stonehenge. The stones of the famous monument are positioned to perfectly match the sunrise and sunset on the summer and winter solstices. For example, from the center of Stonehenge, at the summer solstice the Sun rises over the Heel Stone in the northeast, while at the winter solstice it sets over the Altar Stone in the southwest.

Traces of the older structure were first spotted ten years ago in the area of Bulford, during clearance for military housing. However, only now have researchers been able to conduct a detailed analysis of the structure’s orientation. To do this, scientists effectively “turned back the celestial clock,” recreating the positions of heavenly bodies from that period.

During initial excavations from 2015 to 2017, archaeologists discovered 48 holes. Radiocarbon analysis showed they date to around 2950 BC.

“Until now, our knowledge of such ancient astronomical achievements was based mainly on Stonehenge and structures of a similar period. But what we found in Bulford is 500 years older than the famous stones we know so well,” Harding noted.

Dr. Fabio Silva, an archaeologist and specialist in the relationship between ancient monuments and celestial phenomena from Stone x Sky and the Skyscape Academy, conducted the analysis confirming the solar alignment.

“This discovery helps us understand Stonehenge not as a unique creation, but as part of a much longer dialogue between people, land, and sky,” the scientist explained. According to him, the new data shows that communities living in the region were already aligning their ritual structures to the summer and winter solstices several centuries before Stonehenge was built.