Who: Neolithic people built Stonehenge, an impressive stone monument, aligned with important sun events (e.g. the summer solstice sunrise). They transported massive sarsen stones 20 miles to the site, and the smaller bluestones, nonetheless 2 to 5 tons each, from Preseli Hills in Wales. The stones then had to be shaped (joints held the lintels in place) and erected, requiring a huge amount of manpower. A sophisticated society was surely necessary for such feats: that's what this exhibition argues.
What: An exhibition in the British Museum, including: the renown Nebra sky disk; the impressive Seahenge; 94 axes, representing the number of generations that lived through the British neolithic period; an oak walkway from 3807BC; and something that could quite possibly be the first prosthetic hand.
When: Until the 17th of July, 10:00–17:00 (M,T,W,T,S,S), 10:00-20:30 (F) — booking in advance is strongly recommended for non-members.
Where: The British Museum (Room 30, The Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery).
Why: The exhibition argues that the people that lived in the world of Stonehenge were not backward, a controversial view saying that their contemporary Egyptians were literate and built monuments arguably more impressive than a mere stone circle. However, it is a view that needs to be expressed, and this exhibition does it justice. I would most certainly recommend visiting Stonehenge, and exploring the exhibition there, before tackling this much larger and more comprehensive account of the people who lived at the time.
How: You can book tickets for the exhibition here: britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/world-stonehenge. If you are unable to visit the exhibition (or you really enjoyed it), then you can buy the corresponding book (amazon.co.uk/dp/0714123498) or watch an extensive series of online events (youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHcErFdjbqlz_QzrGHy2XGOBlj1ZT2QOF).
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