THE PREHISTORIC LOURDES

The first theory comes from the archaeologists Tim Darvill and Geoffrey Wainwright, who believe Stonehenge was primarily built as a place of healing and attracted many pre-historic travellers to come as a form of pilgrimage.4

Their theory stems from three main sources; The first is a passage from the ‘historian’ Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain (1136), explaining how Stonehenge had been built by the magician Merlin who transported the stones from an Irish healing circle used by giants.5 The second comes from the Roman historian Diodorus Siculus’ 1st century BC Library of History where he describes an island of Hyperboreans in the far north of Europe and a temple of ‘spherical form’ associated with the vernal equinox and the god Apollo6. The final comes from Pembrokeshire folklore about healing bluestones.

However, Darrill and Wainwright’s theories can be invalidated upon further scrutiny. For instance, oral traditions generally don’t survive more than 500 years, meaning this, at 4000 years, would be the most impressive case in the world.8 In addition, any number of circular Iron Age wooden structures may be implicated by Diodorus, and if his statement about the moon appearing closer to the earth was an attempt to describe a particular astronomical phenomenon, then it couldn’t be in southern Britain; Rather, it would more likely be 500 miles north at Calanais Neolithic stone circle.9 Furthermore, the fact that Apollo is not only the god of healing but also the sun, light, truth, poetry and prophesy doesn’t substantiate a specific healing concern anymore than a general one.10 Finally, evidence of individuals coming to Stonehenge to cure themselves isn’t convincing; Darvill points out 2 examples of trepanation near the monument however, only 10 examples of pre-historic trepanation exist in Britain and they’re mostly scattered widely around. In fact, out of more than 50 skeletons buried around the Stonehenge complex, only 3 have evidence for healing. These 3 were also buried 700-1000 years after the bluestones came to Stonehenge, much after the 500 year oral history expiration date.11

Fig 4. A mid-14th-century manuscript illustration showing the wizard Merlin building Stonehenge.

4 Jones, Dan. 2008. “New Light on Stonehenge,” Smithsonian Magazine <https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/new-light-on-stonehenge-11706891/> [accessed 17 January 2023]

5 Monmouth, Geoffrey, Geoffrey, and Monmouth Geoffrey. 1958. The History of the Kings of Britain, ed. by Charles W. Dunn, trans. by Sebastian Evans (Plume Books)

6 Diodorus, Siculus. 1989. Library of History: V. 2, trans. by C. H. Oldfather (London, England: LOEB)

7 Darvill, Timothy, and Geoffrey Wainwright. “Stonehenge Excavations 2008.” The Antiquaries Journal, vol. 89, 2009, pp. 1–19 (London, England: The Society of Antiquaries of London)

8 Ong, Walter J. 2002. Orality and Literacy, 2nd edn (London, England: Routledge)

9 Burl

10 Kerenyi, Carl. 1974. The Gods of the Greeks, trans. by N. Cameron (London, England: Thames & Hudson)

11 Pearson, Mike Parker. 2012. Stonehenge: Exploring the Greatest Stone Age Mystery (London, England: Simon & Schuster)