Art Analysis: The Stonehenge

Thesis Statement: The Stonehenge is a complex work of art; as it has been built over different periods of time representing wide range of ideas and thoughts. It is a monument that encapsulates the identity of a collective society of an era. It portrays the belief and value system, status, faith, relationship with the supreme being (god), and technological knowledge of the citizens of a society that is associated with the making of the Stonehenge. The large span of time and ambiguity of the society related to the Stonehenge has made most archeological surveys uncertain and thus, creating a mystery about, why was a monument containing, just stones weighing thousands of tones, in a relatively isolated area built? What was the motivations and purpose behind building it? And, how all these elements give an account of the civilization existing around the area.

Stonehenge was built during three distinct periods. Each took centuries to built, its unknown why each stage ended abruptly

The Stonehenge is one of the great seven wonders around of the world. For decades, archaeologists are puzzled by this unique structure. They ask questions like what was its purpose, how was it built and by whom. Archaeologists believe it was built around 3000 BC to 2000 BC. Stonehenge holds many mysteries and theories that brought many tourists to visit over the years. Many stories have been told due to these mysteries and theories. Stonehenge is a complicated ancient megalithic whose complexity involves not only its construction but also a calendar for archaeologist. Numerous investigation has gone into discovering those theories on Stonehenge. Stonehenge is located in Wiltshire, England. One theory suggested that it was a places of burial

While I can't say with any degree of certainty what it was for, we can say that it wasn't constructed for any casual purpose. Only something very important to the ancients would have been worth the effort and investment that it took to construct Stonehenge. I believe with all the information I have gathered I can only ask myself this question:

The Parthenon is located on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece; is a former temple which was dedicated to Greek goddess Athena, whom the Athens considered their leader. According to the British Museum (2015), The Parthenon was built nearly 2500 years ago and has a long and complex history. After thousands of years it became a church of the Virgin Mary of the Athenians, then a mosque and then finally resulted in a archaeological ruin. After the result of a ruin, the buildings were reformed in which various sculptures were damaged. During the 1800’s after the Parthenon being damaged, the Elgin marbles (Elgin) a part of the remaining sculpture, was removed and given to a British museum. For hundreds of years there has been a question if the British museum should return the Elgin marbles back to the Athenians or not. I believe that that the safest and most beneficial place for the Elgin marbles is the British museum, therefore the British should not return the marble to the Athenians.

Although Stonehenge and the Pyramids are both marvels of the ancient world, the differ from each other in many ways. While the construction for both began around the same time period – construction for Stonehenge began around 3100 BCE (Dr. Senta German) while the pyramids began around 2580 BCE (The Great Pyramid of Giza) – the time spent building Stonehenge far exceeded the time spent building the Pyramids. Unlike the Pyramids, Stonehenge was built in three phases. The first phase of construction began “when a great circular ditch about six feet deep was dug with a bank of dirt within it about 360 feet in diameter, with a large entrance to the northeast and a smaller one to the south” (Dr. Senta German). Within this ditch, known as a henge, were 56 pits, known as Aubrey holes filled with either upright bluestones or upright wooden beams, whose original purpose is unknown. The second phase began approximately 100-200 years later and involved a circle of upright wooden posts in the center of this henge. More upright posts were also erected near the northeast and southern entrances. During this phase, the site of Stonehenge was used for burials; “at least 25 of the Aubrey holes were emptied and reused to hold cremation burials and another 30 cremation burial pits were dug into the ditch of the henge and in the eastern portion within the henge enclosure” (Dr. Senta German). During the third and final stage, occurring 400-500 years later, Stonehenge was completely remodeled. The central wooden beams from stage two

The oldest part of Stonehenge, called Stonehenge I (constructed ca. 3100 BCE), consists of little more than a circular ditch dug in the soil of the Salisbury plain, with the excess soil piled up to make an embankment approximately six feet tall. This area is approximately three hundred thirty feet in diameter, and encompasses “Stonehenge proper” – the familiar circles of massive stones that once stood

The Parthenon, a temple of the Doric order, is one of the greatest artistic accomplishments of the fifth century. The Parthenon is viewed without mythological reference and stands far outside the normal Greek temple decoration, which is commonly known to derive its subject matter from the mythical past. (Connelly 53) The Parthenon is different from most other Grecian art of the fifth century and is truly beautiful. One of the greatest reasons the Parthenon is set apart as a great feat in Grecian art is due to its different stylization and the fact that the entire temple is built from the finest white marble throughout the entire piece, including the roof. (Stockstad) The Parthenon is a gorgeous testament to the "Athenian citizenry participating in their annual

FIRST STAGE: Built in around 3000 BC, the first variation of Stonehenge (known as the earthwork enclosure) consisted of the Aubrey holes (fifty-six chalk pits, approximately one metre wide) and a ditch. Inside the

Building the Parthenon was a greater feat than they ever would have known. Work on the Parthenon began in 477 BC. A much smaller shrine already stood on this site, one to which we can attribute various pieces of surviving decorative material--lions and snakes, a cornice incised with flying birds, and a blue-bearded trinity that may conceivably represent Cecrops, Erechtheus, and Poseidon. If such an edifice in fact existed, it was torn down to make way for a huge limestone platform, roughly 252 by 103 feet in size, that was built as a base for the new temple. The slope of the Acropolis was such that while on the north side the foundations rested directly on bedrocks, the southeast corner needed to be built up with no

Over a span of 2,000 years, monuments have been added to Stonehenge. While most are buried today, they are still visible and well preserved. Stonehenge’s features include the Aubrey Holes, 350 burial mounds, Cursus, Woodhenge, Durrington Walls Henge, Stonehenge Avenue, and West Amesbury Henge. The Aubrey Holes were the first monuments in Stonehenge, built around 3,000 BCE. The Aubrey Holes were 56 pits inside of a circular enclosure formed by a bank and a ditch. Its main purpose was to store cremated ashes of dead bodies. After the Aubrey Holes were made, bluestones and sarsens were dragged from long distances to construct the circular stone monument. The 350 burial mounds were long barrows meant to cremate and bury the dead. The Cursus, built from 3600 to 3400 BCE, were two long earthwork enclosures. Both Woodhenge and Durrington Walls Henge were timber circle monuments built in 2,300 and 2,500 BCE, respectively. Stonehenge Avenue was an ancient road that lead to Stonehenge monument and was built from 2,500 to 1,700 BCE. Finally, West Amesbury Henge was a stone circle monument built in 2,400

As you approach the Nashville Parthenon, the first thing you notice is the colossal size of the architecture itself. It is intimidating to say the least. The stairs are massive, and extra stairs were placed in between the larger ones so that it is accessible. At the four corners of the building, a gryphon sits. It was noted that ancient Greeks believed a gryphon was a protector or guardian of the stream in the north of Greece that flowed with gold. The porches seem to be a very sturdy foundation to the overall structure of the Parthenon. The doors, which will be discussed in more detail later, appear to be as tall as four to five people.

Stonehenge, erected around 2500-1600 B.C.E. by tens of thousands of labor workers, represents the peaceful coming together of east and west Britain. It is thought to be a cultural, spiritual, historical, and a sacrificial center. Many experts believe Stonehenge may have also been a burial site for the elite. Located in Wiltshire, United Kingdom, it is believed that 3 separate tribes are responsible from building what is known as Stonehenge. The Windmill people around 2500 B.C.E., the Beaker people around 2000 B.C.E., and the Wessex people around 1600 B.C.E. Today, Stonehenge is the most famous megalithic site in the world, attracting more than 800,000 visitors. Stonehenge uses color, material, and shape, as well as pattern, balance, and emphasis, in order

The ancient Greek civilization contributed many great new ideas and aspects to everyday life that shaped and inspired the modern day society. The Greeks are well known for their construction of temples, acropolis’ and other grand architectural structures. Among these structures stood one of the most famous, the Parthenon. The Parthenon was a symbol of Greek society and culture as it stood as one of Greece’s most important architectural buildings.

Stonehenge was a stone structure established a long time ago by civilizations before the Druid age. More than 4,000 years ago, the people of the Neolithic period supposedly decided to build a massive monument using earth, timber and eventually, stones.They placed it high on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England about 137 kilometres southwest of London. The purpose to build Stonehenge still remains a mystery. Stonehenge could have been a temple, an astronomical calendar, or a guide to the heavens. Stonehenge acts as a prehistoric timepiece, allowing us to speculate on what it would have been like during the Neolithic Period, and who could have built this megalithic wonder.