Stonehenge Version 2.0 Completed 256
Antarctic Lemur writes "The Stonehenge project previously mentioned has been completed near Wellington, New Zealand. This newer version utilises multiple ancient astronomical technologies (scroll down) and the BBC reports it is wired for sound."
First Monolith! (Score:4, Funny)
"wired for sound"? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:"wired for sound"? (Score:3)
easy (Score:4, Funny)
Units of Measurements (Score:5, Funny)
let's see how many people notice anything weird
have you perhaps.. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Units of Measurements (Score:2)
This site won't let me put a degree symbol in, so if you're using Windows, Alt-0176, if you're using a Mac, Shift-Option-8.
Nebraska offers you an alternative (Score:5, Interesting)
Screw astronomy. It's about used cars, man!
Re:Nebraska offers you an alternative (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Nebraska offers you an alternative (Score:2)
Like what, nibble at our DVDs trying to figure out what the hell they're all about?
Re:Nebraska offers you an alternative (Score:2)
Re:Nebraska offers you an alternative (Score:2)
Because there was just one Library but there's scads of computers all over the world.
Re:Nebraska offers you an alternative (Score:2)
Uh-oh.. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Uh-oh.. (Score:5, Funny)
found the transcript after a bit of googling some random place [auntiemomo.com]
What.... (Score:2, Funny)
But look here you wrote down 18"
Re:What.... (Score:2)
Did they build the whole 18" of it? (Score:5, Funny)
Where the demons dwell
Where the banshees live
And they do live well
Stonehenge
Where a man is a man
And the children dance to
The pipes of pan
Stonehenge
'Tis a magic place
Where the moon doth rise
With a dragon's face
Stonehenge
Where the virgins lie
And the prayer of devils
Fill the midnight sky
And you my love
Won't you take my hand
We'll go back in time
To that mystic land
Where the dew drops cry
And the cats meow
I will take you there
I will show you how
Stonehenge by Spinal Tap
Sorry, couldn't resist...
Re:Did they build the whole 18" of it? (Score:2)
Re:Did they build the whole 18" of it? (Score:3, Funny)
David St. Hubbins: I do not, for one, think that the problem was that the band was down. I think that the problem *may* have been, that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being *crushed* by a *dwarf*. Alright? That tended to understate the hugeness of the object.
Ian Faith: I really think you're just making much too big a thing out of it.
Derek Smalls: Making a big thing out of it would have been a good idea.
Best spoken in a nasal East End London accent.. (Score:2)
Hundreds of years before the dawn of history
Lived a strange race of people
The Druids
No-one knows who they were
Or what they were doing
But their legacy remains
Hewn into the living rock
Of Stonehenge
Re:Did they build the whole 18" of it? (Score:2)
If a replica is good enough for you.. (Score:5, Informative)
its not terribly accurate, and its not 'wired for sound', but its kinda cool none-the-less.
and if Sam Hill saw it (Score:5, Funny)
Re:If a replica is good enough for you.. (Score:2)
Too bad it's fake (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Too bad it's fake (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Too bad it's fake (Score:2, Informative)
How about plastic? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Too bad it's fake (Score:2)
3000 years from now it will be called a form of ground to orbit communication... an ancient way to launch spacecraft... the center of a great sport or TV show... the remains of a great work of art... the first particle accelorater... or evidence that technology and intellegence where not globally spread.
--Cam
PS I so wanna be there when the first archaeologist finds a 20th century time capsule. Just to watch them try and figure out WHY we did it.
Re:Too bad it's fake (Score:4, Informative)
"But the New Zealand group had to eschew the ancient in constructing the henge as even with modern building equipment, the henge would have taken too long to construct and would have been too expensive.
The eye of a 5-metre tall obelisk points to the south celestial pole
Instead the society's team concocted pillars and lintels from wooden frames, covered those with cement board and wire mesh and sprayed concrete over the structure."
Re:Too bad it's fake (Score:2)
That would seem to indicate that they have sort of missed onr of the min points of the original.
The most advanced henge in the world (Score:2)
Re:Too bad it's fake (Score:2)
While I fin
Re:Too bad it's fake (Score:2)
Re:Too bad it's fake (Score:2, Informative)
It seems to be more wood and cement than stone, according to the BBC article...
But the New Zealand group had to eschew the ancient in constructing the henge as even with modern building equipment, the henge would have taken too long to construct and would have been too expensive.
Instead the society's team concocted pillars and lintels from wooden frames, covered those with cement board and wire mesh and sprayed concrete over the structure.
I suppose this isn't quite as impressive as being solid rock
Any virigins sacrificed? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Any virigins sacrificed? (Score:3, Funny)
This Stone henge is illegal (Score:3, Funny)
America invented stone. And henges.
For Christmas... (Score:5, Funny)
Ahhh, the wonders of the internet! (Score:4, Funny)
2.0-RC1 (Score:4, Interesting)
Always preferred Avebury (Score:5, Interesting)
There are several circles similar to Stonehenge in the area around Wiltshire, one not so well known circle is Woodhenge, which is a few miles north east of Stonehenge just past Amesbury. The whole area is full of barrows and free-standing stones. A lot of them are in the middle of farm land which makes it difficult to get to, and there are a lot of ancient forts around too.
One funny thing I remember, walking past the entry gates to the stones one saturday morning walking the dog and there was a bus of American tourists doing the rounds, and I actually overheard one say "It's nice, but why did they have to build it so close to the road"...
Something that a lot of people don't realise about the circle is that a lot of the stones were moved around a lot during the early part of the 20th century. Six stones were set up-right in 1918 from their horizontal positions by the office of works and the stones were closed off to the public. They've also been moved backwards and forwards to London for inspection and maintenance a couple of times in the past, they certainly haven't been standing untouched for the last 3000 years!
Re:Always preferred Avebury (Score:2)
I could also be wrong as this was a looong time ago.
Re:Always preferred Avebury (Score:4, Interesting)
Mainly because my old local pub is smack in the middle of the circle.
I'll second the motion for "Avebury whups Stonehenge's arse", precisely because you can actually walk around and within Avebury's ring (and drink 6X in the centre - if there's a better beer I've not found it). The security-guards-plus-tourists-plus-carparking-at-L ondon-prices that dominates Stonehenge just pisses me off; at least at Avebury you can wander and dream and imagine without a fluro-jacketed tour-guide prodding you every two minues.
Got to say I disagree about Woodhenge, though: I pretty much thought "nothing to see here, move along please" - just a whole bunch of concrete markers informing you where the original wooden henge was. Still, each to their own! I guess my imagination ain't up to the job ;-)
Or you can rent a motorized glider (Score:3, Interesting)
When I went to Stonehenge [virginia.edu] (courtesy of Mad Max Tours [bath.org]) some loon (I mean that in the best possible sense) was flying in powered paraglider [usppa.org] with an oversized fan attached to its back. He appeared to be steering with his elbows as he snapped pictures like a madman. He got close enough that I was sure that he was going to lose control of his craft and turn Stonehenge into Stoneunhenged.
On this same tour we also saw Avebury, and I do agree that it was more enjoyable. I never did see the devil behind my shoulde
Re:Always preferred Avebury (Score:2)
I visited Avebury last July, went to have dinner at the Red Lion (IIRC), but their dishwasher was broken, so they had no plates and no dinner...
It was quite spooky (and the "town" is absolutely tiny) but I was curious why it appeared to me that the "dry moat" surrounding the place was backward - big hill on the outside, ditch on the inside.
That, and the loooong stretch of standing stones that head out - I think East - off towards Marlborough. Had a good dinner at the Oddfellows Arm
Stonehenge attracts Hedge Monkeys (Score:3, Funny)
Is it still "working"? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Is it still "working"? (Score:2, Insightful)
If "working" is defined as "does what it was originally intended to do", we may or may not be 100% certain of that, ever.
The people of that era believed in Magic, in terms that specific rituals could coerce the divine to take action. If that was ever possible, it required Druids (no, not your D&D character), and we have lost a key element of the ritual.
However, what we do know is that it had religious signifigence to ancient celtic people, and still today, there are people that will make a
Re:Is it still "working"? (Score:2)
Re:Is it still "working"? (Score:2)
I'm not saying it is not a religious monument but I think scientifically the best thing you can say is that we don't know why it was built.
Re:Is it still "working"? (Score:3, Informative)
stonehenge (Score:2, Interesting)
I think it's fascinating that it's hard to figure out what's the deal exactly. I wonder if this will happen with anything of our age in like 5000 years.
Re:stonehenge (Score:4, Informative)
Since 1979 we've known the answer to that question [amazon.com].
Yaz.
Goldendale Stonehenge (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Goldendale Stonehenge (Score:2)
That would be Goldendale [perr.com]
I was there a few years back when the state threatened to cut finding from this public park/observatory. They seem to still be in operation though.
You should make it clear it's south central Washington right next to the Oregon boarder. Worth the trip to see the Maryhill [maryhillmuseum.org] museum of art and the observatory near by, but still 3 hrs by car from Seattle.
Someday, people will worship this (Score:4, Funny)
Maybe stonehenge 1.0 was the original prank meme?
Snow reveals more details (Score:3, Interesting)
One thing that often gets overlooked; (Score:5, Informative)
Certainly Stonehenge is impressive, I find it far more impressive that a 5000 year old tomb with clock function still works even today. resources [knowth.com]
Re:One thing that often gets overlooked; (Score:3, Interesting)
Of course, Stonehenge has been upgraded several times. The hightly visible stones of the final version are quite new, as you say, but the original dates back even further than Newgrange. The oldest dates from the site are in the region of 10000 years old. Although, those parts don't seem to tell the time or anything like that.
While a 5000 tomb with a Solstice marker is imp
Re:One thing that often gets overlooked; (Score:2, Informative)
Welsh versus Nz (Score:2)
5005 years ago.
Welsh builder: alrigh' butty, you see we is going to be building dis 'ere, ok now, tell me again, what the fuck are these big sticky out ones
Foreman: stones...
Welsh builder: aye, stoaoaoaones. we have some of them in the valley. OK, whose coat is that jacket?
Foreman: listen how long with this take?
Welsh builder: not long, I have to be home to watch the sheep
Why bother-Stonehenge is depressing (Score:5, Insightful)
Unfortunately it was ever thus. There are some really ancient monuments on Malta and Gozo which are far more impressive - the Maltese one even has some of the carving still visible. Last time I was there I was really upset and embarrassed because I had to tell a group of US tourists to stop climbing on the stones. They had no idea how to behave on archaeological sites, or that they were doing damage.
At one time it was seriously suggested that the real Stonehenge be closed off to the public and replaced with a concrete replica. Perhaps this is the answer to all valuable ancient monuments: make accurate replicas for tourists, ban the general public from the real sites and only allow access to people who can prove, perhaps by taking some sort of test, that they have a bona fide interest in the subject and understand that monuments must be treated with care for their own protection.
Re:Why bother-Stonehenge is depressing (Score:5, Funny)
Surely this is arse-about-face: what is needed is to replace the tourists with concrete ones!
Wired for sound? (Score:3, Funny)
"This is God speaking... did you know you can get a 2 for 1 Big Mac meal at the Stonehenge McDonalds. Hurry - offer can't last!"
Time's up... (Score:2, Interesting)
Very poor workmanship (Score:2)
This thing may have all sorts of unlikely stellar alignments in it, but that too is almost certainly nothing like the original, which has a few solar alignments.
3/10. M
A better one in the central US (Score:5, Informative)
Quote and comment (Score:4, Funny)
It's not the oldest profession though.
Re:Quote and comment (Score:2)
Nice idea, lame execution... (Score:2)
If I recall correctly... (Score:2)
(for all us ST fans out here)
woodhenge (Score:2, Funny)
Ah. (Score:2)
Or was it merely trod on by a dwarf?
Uh oh... (Score:2)
Re:But, what is it good for? (Score:3, Funny)
I've been waiting for 2.0 for a long time now!
Finally out of the RC stage!
Re:But, what is it good for? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:But, what is it good for? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:But, what is it good for? (Score:3, Funny)
Correction (Score:5, Funny)
No, no. Us 21 century folks used to deflower virgins there. It's a circular, central location for, you know, services...and some summer solstice crap.
Re:Correction (Score:3, Insightful)
The problem is too many people too many people don't "get" a good metaphore.
Re:But, what is it good for? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:But, what is it good for? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:But, what is it good for? (Score:2, Funny)
Check out Wikipedia (Score:5, Informative)
We're still apparently not too sure what the point of these stones is but it seems credible to think that it certainly has something to do with lunar and solar alignments. Right?
Re:Check out Wikipedia (Score:3, Interesting)
The "astronomy" stuff is what happens when you judge one culture my the standards of another.
In Victorian times, when archeology was getting going, all the large buildings in England were churches, so the inference was that large buildings were for religious purposes. Sure the druids used it, but the Druids did not exist until after stonehenge had been in use for 3
Re:Check out Wikipedia (Score:2)
That sounds a little harsh I mean these people mined and transported HUGE freaking stones and then arranged them in a complex fashion. Which implies that they had fairly large groups spending years building something that lasts for 5000 years. They probably did not have a complex abstract written language but I think building something like that takes far more
Re:But, what is it good for? (Score:5, Insightful)
Let me understand ... one of the dominant pastimes of the slashdot communal consciousness is playing computer games, and you have the audacity to ask What is it good for??
Well, if nothing else it's an excuse to go visit the big room with the blue ceiling. And since Kiwi summers are during winter for the vast majority of us, it sounds like a great time to enjoy their version of the big room while our neighbors are up to their tits in snowbanks.
Re:Keeping the riff-raff out (Score:2)
I am concerned about unwanted influences sullying its image.
You mean the image you just created of it? It sounds like an inexpensive replica of Stonehenge (the thing only cost about $40,000 US dollars to construct). It sounds more like a tourist trap than some kind of national treasure. If a bunch of hippies, wiccans, and new age nutters want to do a bunch of mumbo-jumbo at this place and they pay just like anyone else, who cares?
Re:Keeping the riff-raff out (Score:3, Insightful)
Sir, I invite you to take a World Religions course at your local community college. It might open your eyes a bit.
There are "undesireables", by which I hope you mean "people who use the name of the religion without understanding" in every religion.
As far as I am aware, no wiccans have ever gone to w
Re:Keeping the riff-raff out (Score:3, Insightful)
That's probably because Wicca didn't exist before the 1950s. Actual pagans, i.e. the people who lived in Europe prior to spread of Christianity, were just as brutal and violent as anyone else. The pagans of the British Isles and Scandinavia were very much a warrior society, hardly the vegetarian tree huggers that make up modern 'pagan' groups.
Re:"A cult is an unpopular religion"... (Score:2)
The vast majority of those who claim not to believe, and in particular those who pretend to have difficulty comprehending Creationism , are generally the less intelligent and less well educated members of our species.
Huh? do you have some source reference to back this up? I would probably imagine the opposite to be true, just thinking of the masses of extremely fanatically religous, une
Re:"A cult is an unpopular religion"... (Score:3, Insightful)
Did you guys ever stop and think maybe there are dumb people who believe in God, and dumb people who don't believe in God?
Or are you so diluted by your own beliefs that you can't understand that someone with different views than yours on this subject can still be intelligent a
Re:"A cult is an unpopular religion"... (Score:3, Insightful)
Where the difference lies is that there are few "atheists by faith", it is religion that requires faith, which almost by definition, is the abscence of verifiable proof or reason. It requires a measure of self-delusion, an otherwise consistently intelligent and rationa
Re:"A cult is an unpopular religion"... (Score:2)
I am hoping yes.
Re:"A cult is an unpopular religion"... (Score:2)
Re:Oh dear... (Score:2)
Re:Stonehenge in England = overrated (Score:2)
Go to Avebury, it's much bigger and you can still hug the stones.
Re:2.0 Optimized (Score:2, Funny)