Stonehenge Solstice

Solstice essentially refers to the time of the year when the position of the rising or the setting sun becomes absolutely unmoving in the midst of its journey across the horizon. Summer Solstice at Stonehenge happens around June 21 every year which is the longest day, and the sun’s position remains more or less the same for a few days on either side of this date. It was an important time for the Neolithic man due to the warmth he received for himself, his crops, and his animals. The stones in Amesbury Stonehenge have been set up thousands of years ago in an eerie alignment with the moving sun. If you stand in the center during Stonehenge summer solstice, you will witness that the sun rises just to the left of a large stone that lies outside the stone circle and is known as the Heel Stone. Archaeologists believe there might have been a partner stone to the Heel Stone which means the sun would have risen with the two stones framing it perfectly, such is the alignment of Stonehenge Avenue.

It is also believed that people gathered during Stonehenge Summer Solstice or midsummer and performed important rituals in relation to changing seasons and ceremonies for the sun and the sky. It may also have been a great time for celebrations with long hours of daylight and warmth. These times of gathering together and celebrating the Stonehenge Summer Solstice Festival must have been very important events at the time and may have included singing, dancing, speeches, processions, sporting events, and much more. Today thousands of visitors from all corners of the globe gather here to celebrate the Stonehenge Summer Solstice Festival while trying to get an insight into why this may have been so important to the Neolithic people.

Do Checkout: Theories About Stonehenge

Solstice in Stonehenge has been an important time of the year for ages now and apart from the Summer Solstice Stonehenge has also been observing the winter solstice for thousands of years. Changing seasons and the passage of time have been of utmost importance to the ancient man who was primarily a farmer, growing crops and tending to his animals. The knowledge of when each season was changing was crucial to him, particularly the advent of winter which must have been a dark period for him. As the days grew shorter and colder, the ancient man may have felt fear and desolation longing for the return of the light and warmth of summer. This may have been the premise behind the construction of Stonehenge, to track the changing seasons by aligning them with the movement of the sun.

One of the important events in their annual cycle would have been the midwinter sunset or the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Winter Solstice at Stonehenge continues to inspire awe among spectators for its sheer brilliance and precise alignments. It is believed by archaeologists that the tallest trilithon at the monument is now missing but when it was standing, the sun would have set between the narrow gap present between the two upright stones marking the Winter Solstice at Stonehenge. It is also believed by historians that the winter solstice may have held more importance among the ancient people than the Summer Solstice in Stonehenge, as they held large feasts during the time. Historical evidence also suggests that the Solstice Stonehenge may have been a time for rituals and ceremonies apart from celebrations.

Do Checkout: Stonehenge Stones