Scientists say they have uncovered details who built the 5,000-year-old prehistoric monument Stonehenge. The ancient stones the southwest of England are famous all the world. How Stonehenge was built has been a mystery thousands of years. A new study shows that the architects and builders Stonehenge could have come from Wales, which is more than 160 kilometres away. Researchers wrote the Scientific Reports journal that some human bones found the site were the Preseli Mountains in west Wales. The researchers said the oldest human remains discovered so far date to about 3000 BC, which is 5,000 years ago.
Stonehenge is a ring standing monoliths - giant stones. Each standing stone is four metres high and 2.1 metres wide. They each weigh around 25 tons. Scientists say Stonehenge was first used as a burial mound. The giant monoliths also came the Preseli Mountains. Scientists are not sure how ancient people transported the giant stones the 160 km to their site Stonehenge. They now believe the people who are buried Stonehenge helped transport, position and erect the stones. Researcher John Pouncett said: "People the Preseli Mountains not only supplied the bluestones used to build the stone circle but moved the stones and were buried there too."
