Stonehenge
21.06.2024
Stonehenge
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For Prelims: About Stonehenge, Purpose of Stonehenge |
Why in the news?
The UK police recently arrested two people, including an Indian-origin man, for spraying an orange substance on Stonehenge, the renowned prehistoric UNESCO World Heritage Site in England.
About Stonehenge:
- It is a prehistoric stone circle monument and archaeological site located in Wiltshire, England.
- It is composed of roughly 100 massive upright stones placed in a circular layout.
- Along with more than 350 nearby monuments and henges (ancient earthworks consisting of a circular bank and ditch), including the kindred temple complex at Avebury, Stonehenge was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
- It was built in several stages:
○The first monument was an early henge monument, built about 5,000 years ago, and the unique stone circle was erected in the late Neolithic period, about 2500 BC.
○In the early Bronze Age, many burial mounds were built nearby.
Purpose of Stonehenge:
- Though there is no definite evidence as to the intended purpose of Stonehenge, it was presumably a religious site and an expression of the power and wealth of the chieftains, aristocrats, and priests who had it built.
- It is just one part of a larger sacred landscape that contains many other stone and wooden structures, as well as burials.
- It was aligned with the Sun and possibly used for observing the Sun and Moon and working out the farming calendar.
Source: India Today
Ques :- Consider the following statements with reference to the Stonehenge:
Statement-I
It is an archaeological site located in France.
Statement-II
It is composed of roughly massive upright stones placed in a circular layout.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.
- Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.
- Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.
- Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct.
Answer D