The reason why I choose Stonehenge is that it is architecturally sophisticated and it is at the forefront of archaeology development. It helps me to understand the Neolithic and ceremonial practices. It also had more information about five thousand years ago. It represents a unique embodiment of our collective heritage (Where is Stonehenge? An introduction to visiting Stonehenge, n.d.). It is an image of ancient achievement, and it is a subject of many poems and films. It represents a sacred place or religious significance and inspires a strong sense of humility within me. Stonehenge was also built by people who left no written records. This gives me the urge to discover more about it and write about it. It also helps to understand the Bronze Age mortuary practices carried out by the people in that period. In addition to that, Stonehenge has shown various evolutions of its construction with time.

Exteriorly, Stonehenge is an archaeological monument located on Salisbury plain about 8km from the North of Wiltshire, England. The priests and aristocrats who built it assume it represents power and wealth (Rincon, 2019). It was also considered a religious place. Most people that had been cremated before were buried there (HISTORY OF STONEHENGE, n.d.). It was aligned on the sun and possibly used to work out the farming calendar of the people during this period by observing the sun and the moon. It was built in six stages using stones picked far away from the site, especially from the quarries. The stones are arranged in post and lintel formation. The monument has two entrances from the northeast and south.

The floor plan of Stonehenge consists of a circular ditch with an external and internal bank. The ditch was 20 feet wide and 7 feet deep on slightly sloping grassland. The inner bank was built using chalky rubble (Pearson, n.d.). Around the external bank, pits that were three feet in diameter were dug. The pits were probably intended as postholes or used to take stone slabs. The pit holes were later used as tombs for cremation burials. There were also station stone markers and modern access paths. Sarsen stones were joined together with lintels and blue stones at the center of the inner and outer rings. The sarsen stones were dressed and maintained before being erected. The grassland was still maintained. The stones were placed in a way that there could be access to the sun and moon views.

The internal decoration of Stonehenge changed with time. A number of upright timbers were also used to create patterns inside the enclosure during 3000BC. However, this evolved later, and the builders used stones (DESCRIPTION OF STONEHENGE, n.d.). They constructed two big holes in the centre of the enclosure that could hold as many as 80 bluestone pillars. These holes were called the Q and R holes. The northeast entrance was widened to align with the winter and summer solstices. Another 100ft diameter hole was also dug at the centre, and 30 sarsen stones were fitted using the tenon and mortise joint. Each of the stones is around 3m high, 2.1m wide, and weighs 25tons. They are topped by connecting 30 horizontal lintel stones using the tongue and groove joint. The lintel stones were curved to enhance the circulation of the monument. The inward-facing surfaces were smoother than the outer surfaces. Between the two sarsen rings, bluestones were arranged in a circle. An oval arrangement was also made around the sarsen horseshoe.

In conclusion, there are various ways that I could have used to adjust the Stonehenge to make it more amusing and appealing. Stonehenge was astronomical and served as a religious place. Therefore, adjusting it will require changes that still help or improve its roles. The first adjustment that I will make to the monument is introducing a religious figure on top of one of the stones located anywhere. This could be the inner or the outer part of the circle. For instance, a prominent religious leader figure shows that a place is a religious place. I would also reposition some stones to ensure that they do not fall. For example, the sarsen stones are topped with lintels. For clear viewing purposes of the summer and winter solstice. I would introduce steps or ramps that would lead to the top of the platform. This would involve the use of woods long-lasting woods that have been shaped well. The woods can also be used to cover the woods to make them look organized and in shape. On the way to the monument, I would introduce a clear footpath that is fenced using beautifully shaped woods. This is to ensure that there is only one way to access the monument. I would also ensure that the stones are strongly erected to allow any visitor to have a chance of touching the stones without fear of the stones falling. I would ensure that the pits were dug as deep as possible to ensure that they could hold as much mortuaries as possible.

Works Cited

DESCRIPTION OF STONEHENGE. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/history/description/

HISTORY OF STONEHENGE. (n.d.). Retrieved from Englishheritage: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/history/

Pearson, M. P. (n.d.). Stonehenge. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Stonehenge

Rincon, P. (2019, April 16). Stonehenge: DNA reveals origin of builders. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47938188

Where is Stonehenge? An introduction to visiting Stonehenge. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.londontoolkit.com/whattodo/stonehenge_what_to_expect.htm