The mystery of who built Stonehenge and why they did it has been around for thousands of years. Until now, only speculation reigned and many theories were put forth. Some believed the purpose of the monument was spiritual in nature while others explored the possibility that it may have been something more practical. A few far-out theories even have Stonehenge as the result of some extra-terrestrial influence. Finally, a group of archaeologists believe they may have cracked this ancient puzzle.
Several teams of archaeologists have been working together for the last 10 years to find the truth. What they came up with is quite different from what most believed, however. By studying all the relevant factors that prevailed during its period of construction (approximately 3,000 to 2,500 BCE), they discovered that when it was built there was a single culture taking hold throughout many different areas of the land now known as Britain.
Other clues, such as the amount of organized manpower needed, suggested that someone was in control of a great many people at the time. The condition of human remains shows that people at the time were eating better as well. A large village was also found near the site, meaning that there was a community in place nearby.
Their conclusion is that all these clues add up to Stonehenge being raised to signify some unification event of Britain. There are many other factors that are strange about the monument, such as its alignment to the solstices, but these are believed to have been handed down from times even earlier than its construction. The site at which it is built may have been a sacred site before Stonehenge was there and the new construction built upon the secrets of the old.
So while the spiritual significance of the way Stonehenge was built may still be up in the air, the practical reasons are now known. The monument was erected to commemorate the power of some great king who managed to bring the varied lands of Britain under one rule. So much for the alien space-traveler theory.