A new study has revealed that the 25-tonne (55,000-pound) stone known as the Devil’s Arrow was transported at least 18 kilometers (11 miles) from Brimham Rocks to create Britain’s tallest surviving prehistoric stone column.
Led by Curtin University in collaboration with the University of York in the United Kingdom, the research has identified the geological origin of the towering megalith for the first time. Mineral evidence links the stone to Brimham Rocks, a rugged landscape in North Yorkshire.
Located near Boroughbridge in northern England, the Devil’s Arrows stone arrangement includes a standing stone reaching approximately 7 meters (23 feet) high. Despite the monument’s size and importance, researchers had previously been unable to determine where the stones came from.
The stones are believed to have been transported and erected during the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, probably around 2000 BC.
Prehistoric builders transported stones from distant sources
Dr Anthony Clarke, lead author and a member of Professor Curtin’s Mineral Systems Timescales Group within Curtin University’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the discovery challenges previous ideas about how prehistoric communities selected materials for major monuments.
“Our research shows that these stones were not simply taken from the closest available source. Instead, they were deliberately selected from difficult terrain approximately 18 kilometers away,” Dr Clarke said.
“Plumpton Rocks, located near the Devil’s Arrows, had previously been suggested as a possible source. Our findings identify Brimham Rocks instead and show that prehistoric builders transported these massive stones much farther than previously believed.”
“Each stone weighs more than 25 tonnes, meaning that moving and raising it would have required remarkable planning, coordination and engineering expertise.”
“This suggests that prehistoric communities placed great value on the landscape itself. The choice was not simply based on convenience; the origin of the stones may have held cultural, symbolic or spiritual meaning.”
The discovery indicates that the builders did not necessarily choose the nearest or easiest source of rock. Instead, the landscape around Brimham Rocks may have been connected to beliefs, traditions or cultural practices that influenced the construction of the monument.
Co-author Dr Jim Leary of the University of York said the findings offer new insight into prehistoric monumental architecture.
“These results show that ancient communities made deliberate and meaningful decisions about where their building stones came from,” Dr Leary said.
“They highlight the importance of the landscape and shared belief systems, as well as the extraordinary effort required to transport and raise a stone of this size.”
Mineral fingerprints reveal the stone’s origin
To trace the stone’s geological source, researchers used a low-impact sampling method. Adhesive tape collected tiny mineral particles from the stone’s surface without causing significant damage to the ancient monument.
The team analyzed the age fingerprints of the mineral grains and compared them with geological samples from several potential source locations. The results matched the Devil’s Arrows stone with the distinctive geology of Brimham Rocks.
The evidence also ruled out natural explanations, including movement by glaciers. This confirms that people intentionally transported the megalith to the monument site.
New clues about prehistoric engineering
Dr Clarke said the research team plans to apply similar non-invasive techniques to other standing stones with unknown origins. Researchers also hope to carry out targeted excavations at the Devil’s Arrows and the newly identified source area at Brimham Rocks.
“These next steps could help us determine when the stones were moved and reveal more about how these extraordinary prehistoric monuments were built,” Dr Clarke said.
Justin Scully, National Trust general manager of Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal and Brimham Rocks, said the discovery establishes a direct link between two of Yorkshire’s most distinctive landscapes.
“We are extremely grateful to the researchers for uncovering a new chapter in the stone’s story and deepening our understanding of the people who shaped this landscape thousands of years ago,” Scully said.
“The Devil’s Arrows are deeply cherished by the local community, and we are delighted that this discovery adds a new chapter to their history.”
The study, “The deliberate prehistoric procurement of the Devil’s Arrow, Britain’s tallest stone row,” was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society A.
Source: www.sciencedaily.com