A life-size replica of the three largest Stonehenge boulders have been rescued by Tim Daw. The farmer, who hails from All Cannings, England, will utilize the massive stones for a new television documentary that seeks to construct a replica of the prehistoric monument.
Considered one of the most famous (and mysterious) sites in the world, Stonehenge has largely been the topic of various archaeological debates: How was it built? What techniques were used? How was an ancient culture capable of constructing it? Daw, who is currently a steward at Stonehenge, will now join forces with archaeologist, Julian Richards, to hopefully shed some more light on these questions.
The three replicas – weighing 90 tons – were originally made twenty years ago for another television documentary, Secrets of Lost Empire – Stonehenge. Since the program, however, they have been left in a field just one mile from the actual monument in Larkhill.
Richards was the original archaeologist behind the experiment. The new project, which will be repeated next summer, will focus on how the stones of Stonehenge were moved and erected by ancient man – this time with updated information and new knowledge of the time period.
According to Daw, “There are a lot different theories about how the stones were moved so it will be intriguing to recreate them.”
“I am always interested in doing mad things like this, so when Julian asked I thought ‘why not?’, he said.
The stones were delivered to Daw’s Cannings Cross farm on Monday with the help of a fleet of haulage specialists, along with a heavy-duty, 200-ton crane. For the time being, they will be stored near the Long Barrow – a columbarium where cremated remains in urns are kept.
In September of this year, Daw opened the Neolithic style Long Barrow burial site to the public. It is the first of its kind in over 5,000 years.
After the television show airs, Daw hopes that the replicated monument will continue to stand.
“It would be a fantastic experience for people to see them up close as you can’t actually go up to the Stonehenge stones anymore.”
