Avebury
Avebury Henge and Stone Circles
Late Neolithic·Windmill Hill / Late Neolithic Wessex·🇬🇧 Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom
About
About Avebury
Largest megalithic stone circle in Europe (11.5 ha), enclosing outer bank and ditch and two inner circles. Village of Avebury sits partially within the monument. Includes West Kennet Avenue, Silbury Hill and West Kennet Long Barrow in its ritual landscape. Part of same World Heritage Site as Stonehenge.
Why it mattersLargest henge in Britain; landscape approach to Neolithic monumentality.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Function requiring massive communal labour
- 02Relationship to Silbury Hill
Theories
- 01Regional pilgrimage centre
- 02Lunar and seasonal ritual landscape
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 2600 BCE
- Period
- Late Neolithic
- Culture
- Windmill Hill / Late Neolithic Wessex
- Purpose
- Ceremonial enclosure and gathering place
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 2600 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1442 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
51.4286° N · 1.8542° W · 160 m · 3 mapped features
Outer Circle
stone circleOuter circle ~100 stones
51.4286° N · 1.8542° WWest Kennet Avenue
avenue2.4 km avenue of paired stones
51.4210° N · 1.8520° WSilbury Hill
artificial moundLargest artificial mound in Europe, 30 m high
51.4158° N · 1.8575° W
Gallery