Mystery of Stonehenge’s 13,000-pound Altar Stone may be solved as new research reveals how it traveled 450 miles

A new study published in *The Journal of Quaternary Science* challenges the long-held theory that Stonehenge’s Altar Stone was moved by glaciers during the Ice Age. Researchers from Curtin University in Australia analyzed the stone’s origin—Scotland’s Orcadian Basin, 450 miles away—and used glacial trajectory modeling and mineral grain dating to trace its path. Their findings show that while glaciers may have shifted the stone toward Dogger Bank (a now-submerged landmass), humans had to transport it the final 248 miles to Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, between 2620 and 2480 B.C.E. The study’s co-lead author, Dr. Anthony Clarke, argues the movement required careful planning and coordination, ruling out glaciers as the sole method. Dogger Bank was submerged around 8,000 years ago—3,000 years before Stonehenge’s construction—making glacial transport implausible for the final leg. Instead, the team proposes a staged approach, combining overland hauling with river or coastal transport where possible. The Altar Stone, weighing over 13,000 pounds and standing 16 feet tall, was initially thought to originate in Wales like other blue stones at Stonehenge. However, chemical analysis confirmed its Scottish source. Clarke suggests the builders, like modern societies selecting premium materials, prioritized sandstone from northeast Scotland for unknown symbolic or practical reasons. Unlike modern construction, Stonehenge’s creation was not time-bound, allowing for gradual, multi-year efforts. The study implies Neolithic communities were highly organized, capable of long-distance stone transport without modern technology. The research adds to ongoing debates about human ingenuity in prehistoric engineering.