CAPTAIN GG: STONEHENGE
Irini Sakelliou
Little A: Captain, are we going to England again this time? I don’t want to eat Fish and Chips again like we did last time when we went to Greenwich
This time I want to eat that famous roast beef with the wonderful boiled carrots, roasted potatoes, and boiled peas.
Mr. A: Indeed, we’re going to England again. ΠWe’re going to find out what Stonehenge was used for. Why does it have those enormous megaliths?I’ve heard that for years archaeologists have wondered what its purpose was: a. Was it an astronomical observatory? b. Was it a cemetery? Or perhaps c. Was it a religious site?
Daphne: I’ve also heard from my father the astronomer, Dr Vag, that Stonehenge is oriented in such a way that at sunrise during the spring equinox, the sun’s rays light up the central monument, creating a spectacular sight.
Mr. A: So today is June 21st, 2025. It’s the summer solstice, which means it’s the longest day of the year.
Little A: If I understand correctly, winter begins tomorrow. The night slowly starts getting longer. Tomorrow I want to wear my new pink turtleneck.
Mom: But we haven’t even gone on our summer holidays yet! We haven’t even worn our swimsuits! Okay, from tomorrow the days start getting shorter.
Dad: If we go to England in June, not only won’t we need our swimsuits, but the pink turtleneck of Little A might actually be more useful!
Daphne: I recently heard that the purpose of the monument was to unite different farming communities in England.
Dad: Exactly. The central stone of the monument is from Scotland, the megaliths from Wales…
Mr. A: All this is analyzed in the following article:
Mr. A: I’ve heard there are similar circular Paleolithic structures in Central Europe. The one that impressed me and I remember well is the Goseck Circle in Germany.
Dad: Are we also going to Germany to see the Goseck Circle?
Little A: Wonderful!! We’ll also eat Wurst with Sauerkraut.
Dad: That one also has orientation, like Stonehenge. Again, during the equinoxes, the orientation of the monument is such that the entrances align with the sun’s rays during the equinoxes.
Little A: Now that we’ve eaten roast beef in England and Wurst with Sauerkraut in Germany, are we going back to England for some Fish and Chips?
Mom: Little A, you’re always thinking about your stomach! We also saw important Neolithic monuments—don’t forget that.