In Denmark, the remnants of a ritual circle henge of wooden posts has archaeologists very excited.
Its connection with existing Neolithic structures in the vicinity—and further—to its similarities with henges in Britain, points to inter-connected Northern European beliefs and even organization.
Dating back 4,000 years to the late Neolithic, early Bronze Age period, it was found in the town of Aars during recent construction work. 45 timber posts once formed a circle that may have been aligned with celestial events, but they’ve long disintegrated.
In their place, a circle of post holes hint at their presence, as well as the possibility there may have been later modifications to the site.
“This is an extraordinary find,” says Sidsel Wåhlin, a curator at the Vesthimmerland Museum in Aars, in a statement. “The timber circle provides valuable insights into the ritual practices and social structures of this internationally connected prehistoric society. It is a testament to the rich archaeological heritage of Denmark.”
The timber circle is located in a ritual landscape that includes one of the few already known woodhenges from Denmark, 1.2 miles to the northwest, a significant burial ground with burial mounds from the late Neolithic and several settlements from the same period.
This context reinforces the significance of the discovery and suggests a complex and connected ritual and social environment in the area around Stenildgaard and Vesthimmerland.
“The timber circle is a window into the past, giving us an insight into the ceremonial and ritual activities of our ancestors,” said Andreas Bo Nielsen, excavation manager at the site.
As well as sharing similarities with other Danish woodhenges, there is also a striking parity with a known woodhenge in England, near Wiltshire.
“It shows us that [prehistoric Britons and Danes] are sharing the same worldviews … on how to be farmers, how society connects with the supernatural,” Wåhlin told the Guardian.
The henge in Wiltshire is believed to have served the same purpose for local people as that which Stonehenge provided for the Neolithic Britons on the Salisbury Plain—a center for ceremony, perhaps festivities, and funerals.
It’s well known that Stonehenge was built to align with the Summer solstice, and other henges, both stone and wood, are believed to be constructed to similar standards, although official research and excavation of the Aars henge only began on February 24th.
Along with more precise dates, they hope to answer outstanding questions including whether the henge was enlarged at some point and whether the posts had been decorated.
