Although Stonehenge has been studied for generations, specialists now report a significant breakthrough concerning a nearby archaeological feature. A recent study presents new evidence explaining the origins of the Durrington pit circle, first identified in 2020. The research relied on advanced surveying tools and innovative data techniques that may assist in studying other ancient sites.
Archaeologists now argue that the large pits discovered northeast of Stonehenge were intentionally constructed by humans rather than formed through natural processes. Their conclusions, published in the journal Internet Archaeology, are based on an examination of sixteen features using ground penetrating radar, magnetometry, and electrical resistance tomography. Following these surveys, researchers extracted sediment cores and analyzed luminescence to estimate when the soil last encountered sunlight. They also retrieved traces of plant and animal DNA from surrounding layers.
Patterns observed across multiple areas of the site strongly suggest deliberate human activity dating to the late Neolithic period. According to Professor Vincent Gaffney, who led the study, the arrangement of the pits represents an extensive monument reflecting the worldview of the people who created it, marking the landscape in a way previously undocumented in Britain.
The site contains roughly twenty massive pits situated about two miles northeast of Stonehenge. These features form a circular layout approximately 1.2 miles wide and are considered one of the largest Neolithic constructions ever identified in Britain. The pits lie near the Durrington Walls settlement, which is believed to have supported thousands of residents between 2800 and 2100 BC.
Although the exact purpose of the pits remains uncertain, researchers suspect they were part of a broader complex connected to Stonehenge. While Stonehenge is associated with burial landscapes, the Durrington area appears linked to daily life, indicated by its proximity to a thriving settlement.
The possibility of another monumental prehistoric structure emerging beside one of the worlds most studied sites adds a new dimension to the regions archaeological significance.
