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Archaeologists said Stonehenge，Britain’s most famous prehistoric
monument，may have been an ancient
pilgrimage (朝圣) site for the sick who
believed its stones had healing qualities.
It has always been a mystery why bluestones，the smaller stones that form part of the
circle，were transported around 155
miles from Preseli Hills in Wales to Wiltshire in southern
England.Archaeologists from Bournemouth University，who carried out the dig in April-the first at Stonehenge since
1964-believe the bluestones were
respected as healing stones.“It was the magical qualities of these
stones that transformed the monument and made it a place of pilgrimage for the
sick and the injured of the Neolithic world (新石器时代)，” a statement from the archaeologist team
said.
Geoffrey Wainwright，president
of the Society of Antiquaries of London and one of the experts leading the work，said that one reason which led to the
conclusion was that a number of the burials around Stonehenge showed signs of
injury and disability.
The archaeologists said in the statement that radiocarbon dating (放射性碳测年法) put the construction of the circle of
bluestones at between 2400 B．C. and 2200 B．C.，a
few centuries later than originally thought.But they found pieces of charcoal
dating from before 7000 B．C.，showing humans were active in the area
much earlier than previously thought.
During the dig，the
researchers also found Roman ceramics (陶器)
and ancient stone hammers.“We now know，much
to our surprise and delight，that Stonehenge was not just a
prehistoric monument，but it was a Roman and
mediaeval (中世纪的) monument，” said Wainwright.
Another of the team leaders，Tim
Darvill of Bournemouth University，said
the bluestones appeared to be the most important to the purpose of Stonehenge
although it may have had more than one function.Other theories about Stonehenge
are that it was a religious site or that it acted as a calendar.
