[Sca-cooks] Circles

[Terry Decker]

Since Stonehenge was assembled in the period 3000-1000 BCE, it falls into 
overlap between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age.  The intial construction 
was probably done with stone tools.  The second stage of construction 
probably occurs after the appearance of the Beaker People.  The Beaker 
People were metal workers (copper, gold and silver) and the rest of the 
construction on Stonehenge was probably done with metal or metal edged 
tools.  Some sources push the start of first period of construction to 
almost 4000 BCE.

Since hunter/gatherers don't remained fixed enough to build great monuments, 
I think that we can safely assume the initial builders were an agrarian 
culture.  The primary crops would probably be oats, barley and einkorn.  The 
Beaker People were pastoralists, adding at least sheep to the agrarian mix, 
if they weren't already there.

Toward the end of the period, grave goods suggest there may have been trade 
with the bronze using cultures in the Mediterranean and the tools may have 
again improved.

Bear

>
> The bluestone that the henges at Stonehenge are made from is
> not available  at the site of construction,  Marlborough Downs which
> is 18 miles away from the site is the closest site where that same
> stone is available and I think scientists have nailed it down chemically
> as the self-same rock.
>
> The structure is attributed to the Grooved Ware people, part of a series
> of groups of people that occupied that area during Neolithic times (they
> are named for the criss-cross grooves on the pottery they created and
> left behind).  NewGrange,Carnac, Brodnarr, and Skara Brae are all
> attributed to them as well.  Some of the sites have capstones up to
> 400 tons.
>
> They seem to have been a fairly advanced people with a division of
> labor for tasks and at least a basic form of writing, and since
> many of their sites have very precise astronomical alignments,
> astronomy.  They even seem to have a standard unit of measure.
> Houses in Skara Brae seem to have been built with drains and working
> plumbing.
>
> (OFC)
> Now, for the division of labor to develop, there needs to be an agrarian
> society involved with food production.  Pottery is a good way to trade
> grains and other agrarian goods. There is direct evidence that the 
> neolithic
> peoples grew grain (I don't know what kinds, tho I bet Bear knows) but 
> also
> gathered and hunted. There was also animal husbandry involved.
>
> Bone analysis indicates diet varied from person to person but that
> plant materials were a large part of their diet.
>
> There is a cool book entitled _Uriel's Machine_  that while  it is a
> bit apocalyptic at times, is a good read when you consider our
> own technologies sophisticated or superior.  Some fanaticism
> filters may need applied while reading the book as well.
>
>
> Cadoc