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The Heel Stone stands at the end of what was Stonehenge Avenue, the ceremonial route up to the henge, just outside the the entrance to the stone circle enclosure. When one stands within the enclosure, facing north-east through the entrance, one sees the summer solstice sun rise over the Heel Stone. In other words, it was and still is a marker stone for summer solstice. (The opposite side of Stonehenge faces the winter solstice sunset.)
In 1980 a hole was discovered in the grass near the Heel Stone, indicating that it once had a companion stone.
The Heel Stone is a rough, unwrought sarsen stone, approximately 16 feet high (4.88 metres), with another 4 feet (1.22 metres) buried below ground. 8 feet (2.9 metres) wide, 7 feet (2.55 metres) thick, and weighing some 35 tons. It is surrounded by a small circular ditch approximately 27-33 feet (10-12 metres) in diameter and now leans inwards, towards the henge, but most likely once stood upright.
The name may be derived from the Greek word for the sun - 'Helios' or it may be derived from the old British word 'heol - track', because it stands beside the Avenue. A more simple explanation might be that it "heels" (leans).
What else can I help you with?
What feature is at the center of Stonehenge?
the heel stone
What links friar's heel pagan stone England solstice?
STONEHENGE..:)
Where would you find the slaughter stone the heel stone and the altar stone?
Stonehenge
What is the summer and winter solstice and how does this relate to Stonehenge?
Yes Stonehenge was built to predict seasons. The building is aligned northeast-southwest so that on midsummer's morning, the sun rose close to the Heel Stone.
Prehistoric English site of tall huge stone slabs is?
stonehenge
Why do people celebrate the summer solstice at Stonehenge?
At summer solstice (the first day of summer), an observer standing within the stone circle, looking north-east through the entrance, would see the sun rise above the heel stone.
What is Stonehenge's form?
It is a stone circle
What is the Stonehenge made what of?
rocks
What is the prehistoric stone circle called that is located in Wiltshire England?
It is called Stonehenge and it stands on the Salisbury Plain
How can Stonehenge tell the seasons?
Stonehenge serves as an ancient astronomical observatory, aligning with the movements of the sun and moon. The stones are positioned to mark the solstices and equinoxes; for instance, the heel stone aligns with the sunrise on the summer solstice. This alignment allowed ancient peoples to track seasonal changes, guiding agricultural practices and rituals. Thus, Stonehenge is a testament to prehistoric knowledge of celestial events.
Who were the first settlers at Stonehenge?
Stonehenge is a large henged stone circle it is not and never has been a settlement.
What is the name of ancient stone circles?
Stonehenge
