Stonehenge. It is a monument that draws millions of visitors per year to a remote location in the English countryside. But how did it get there? And more importantly, why? Stonehenge was built several thousand years ago, by the prehistoric people living in southern England. As technology advances, the mysteries of its construction are becoming known, but, the long-wondered question of why it was built is still the subject of much speculation. A ritualistic healing center and an astronomical calendar are two possible explanations for what the purpose of Stonehenge was. Although Stonehenge has been around for thousands of years, the true purpose of the monument remains unknown. About five thousand years ago, an immense round embankment was…show more content… Firstly, Gerald Hawkins, an astronomer from the Harvard College Observatory, writes, “Stonehenge probably was built to mark midsummer, for if the axis of the temple had been chosen at random, the possibility of selecting this point by accident would have been less than one in five hundred” (Roop 91). This backs up the theory by showing how unlikely it is that Stonehenge’s purpose was unrelated to the summer solstice. The arrangement of Stonehenge allowed for a way to accurately mark specific dates in the year, which could be used for more efficient agriculture, as well as religious events (Wilson). Furthermore, Hawkins speculates, “Primitive men observed with apprehension the places where the great rulers of the day and night emerged from the dark earth. It would have been natural that the Stonehengers should mark those points by various means” (Roop 94). Celts were known to have divided their year into eight different parts; Stonehenge could be used to determine key points, like the summer solstice (Steiger 272). Therefore, prehistoric farmers could know when to plant crops with less risk of being ruined by severe weather (Roop 90). Based on the solar alignment of the stones, one of the most popular theories regarding Stonehenge’s purpose is that it was used to mark important dates in the