Stonehenge: Decoded

Stonehenge Decoded examines British archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson’s ground-breaking theory – one that places this ancient monument at the centre of one the largest prehistoric religious complexes in the world. His team is unearthing surprising new evidence, supporting a radical new vision of Stonehenge and the people who built it. Just a few kilometres from Stonehenge, the revelations begin as the team uncovers the first evidence of a 4,500 year-old lost settlement. With at least 300 houses, it is the largest Stone Age settlement ever found in northern Europe. At its centre lie the remains of a mysterious second circle. Now, the excavations and radiocarbon dating reveal that this lost monument was in fact a near replica of Stonehenge built of wood - and that both circles stood at the same time. As the archaeologists investigate how the two may be connected, they make another astonishing find: a 30-metre wide ceremonial avenue made of packed flint, leading away from the second, wooden circle at Durrington Walls. It is the only road of this type found in Britain, and it leads directly to the nearby river Avon. There are more dramatic discoveries to come. Pits filled with animal bones yield clues about the lives of the ancient people who built Stonehenge. Post holes found on a ridge above the river may give new insight into the way they treated their dead—and the role the great stone circle played in their rituals.