XV Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2023

Stonehenge (English Stonehenge [ˈstəʊnˌhendʒ]) is a stone megalithic structure (cromlech) in Wiltshire (England) listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located about 130 km southwest of London, about 3.2 km west of Amesbury and 13 km north of Salisbury.

One of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, Stonehenge consists of circular and horseshoe-shaped structures built of large menhirs. It is located in the center of the densest complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England. The monument itself and its surroundings were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986. The British Crown transferred Stonehenge to the management of English Heritage, while the immediate surroundings belong to the National Trust. The history of studying the megalith has more than three hundred years, starting with attempts to date its buildings by Inigo Jones in the XVII century. In addition, images of this building can be observed in an earlier period – in the interval between 1573 and 1575, a sketch of Stonehenge was created in watercolor by the hand of Lucas de Jere. A Flemish writer, artist and poet whose books are a valuable resource for depicting clothing of the XVI century. In addition, John Aubrey, a member of the Royal Society of London and a friend of the King of England Charles II (Charles II), distinguished himself while studying Stonehenge. He wrote an opus dedicated to the megalith - "Monumenta Britannica". In the XX and XI centuries, archaeologist Robert Newell, archaeologist Michael Pitts, Joshua Pollard, Mike Parker Pearson, Richard Atkinson and astronomers Gerald Hawkins and John White made significant contributions to the study of Stonehenge.

The role of Stonehenge as a historical and cultural phenomenon in modern culture.

There is no doubt that Stonehenge is a great legacy of Neolithic man, which will always arouse interest in the minds of scientists. It is impossible to deny the enormous influence of Stonehenge on modern human culture.

The influence of Stonehenge on culture, theories about its purpose and some scientific assumptions in one form or another can be seen in the entertainment industry. This megalith is mentioned in various animated films and TV series, which are both informative and entertaining. Therefore, for example, Stonehenge appeared in the quite popular in the CIS children's educational show "Lessons of Aunt Owl" under the heading "Wonders of the World. Stonehenge" or in the animated South Korean series "Metalions" (the main characters of which are fighting for cleanliness and ecology in the world of technological progress), where the main character, as part of his environmental tour, went to Wiltshire to solve the mystery of Stonehenge. In addition, Stonehenge has appeared in many feature films, where this monument appeared in various interpretations. An example of such diversity of Stonehenge can be such paintings as "Robin of Sherwood" or "Thor 2: The Kingdom of Darkness". In this movie the megalithic building is represented in the image of the druid temple and their sacred place and a model of the solar system (Dr. Selvig ran around Stonehenge now when the nine planets converged in one row). Or, on the contrary, those paintings where the monument appears in an unusual and unusual light: in the painting "European Holidays" Stonehenge was noted as an ordinary landmark, an object for tourists to study, and in the film "Ancient Prophecy: Stonehenge apocalypse" this structure was shown as a huge and ancient mechanism, the launch of which means the end of all life on Earth.

Not only has Stonehenge left its mark on the entertainment industry, it has also influenced neo-pagans. In particular, the fans of the Celtic druids in Britain, who arrange holidays on the solstices and various ritual dances around the famous monument. The extent of the veneration of the monument by the British pagans can be estimated by the statements of Wall Dean (the leader of the British pagans) addressed to the country's parliament and personally to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Boris Johnson. In June 2021, the druid accused Johnson of using black magic against the people, and said that the lockdown supported by the authorities would not disrupt the celebration of the summer solstice at Stonehenge. The leader of the pagans was convinced that COVID restrictions would not be an obstacle for the druids to throw a "big party", looking at the government's measures as a true evil. Here is what Dean himself said about this:

"They used magic against us, you can call it whatever you want. They made us slaves, we are slaves of the system, and that's the magic."

The druid leader has previously made accusations of conspiracy against the government, commenting on plans to lay a tunnel on a section of the A303 highway near Stonehenge. According to him, the authorities tried to protect the community, meaning druids, from access to magic.

Besides pagans, hippies also visit Stonehenge as a place of natural power. Representatives of this subculture also come to the megalith every summer solstice to touch the pristine antiquity and feel the connection with nature. It is also worth noting that in Russia there is a similar practice associated with the Arkaim settlement, where neo-pagans, shamans and representatives of other mystical movements also come.

Do not forget about the huge number of pseudoscientific TV shows or channels on the YouTube video platform. One of the most popular pseudo- or near-scientific programs in Russia can be called two such projects on the Ren-TV channel as "Military Secret with Igor Prokopenko", "Secrets of the World with Anna Chapman", in which Stonehenge is associated with aliens from other planets or from other dimensions.

Of course, Stonehenge is a cult and one of the most recognizable buildings on our planet, along with the Eiffel Tower, the pyramids at Giza or Hagia Sophia. Megalith is an object of scientific research, has been noted in scientific, popular science literature, and has been shown in cartoons and films of various genres and directions. Moreover, he is an object of awe for representatives of some subcultures and some religious movements, such as British neo-pagans. This indicates the exceptional influence of Stonehenge on people's minds and the undeniable interest in this topic, which is not surprising, since Stonehenge impresses with its size and scale, it can interest every person, be it an ordinary onlooker or a certified scientific specialist.

References:

Atkinson R. Stonehenge and Avebury. - London: Her Majesty's Chancery (HMSO) 2022-68 p.

White J. The solution to the mystery of Stonehenge. - Moscow: Mir Publishing House, 1984-352 p.

Hawkins J. Deciphered Stonehenge. Observatory of the twentieth century. - Moscow: publishing house "Tsentrpoligraf", 2006-272 p.

Pearson M. P., Pollard J., The original Stonehenge? Disassembled stone circle on the Preseli hills in West Wales // Cambridge University Press. – 2021 [Electronic resource] URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/original-stonehenge-a-dismantled-stone-circle-in-the-preseli-hills-of-west-wales/B7DAA4A7792B4DAB57DDE0E3136FBC33#