5,000-Year-Old Wooden Structure Near Stonehenge May Be Its Astronomical Prototype

Archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology have discovered a 5,000-year-old wooden structure near Stonehenge that appears to predate the famous monument by approximately 500 years. The structure, located at Bulford in Wiltshire, consisted of two wooden poles placed 120 meters (394 feet) apart and was precisely aligned with the rising sun during the summer solstice and the setting sun during the winter solstice — the same solar alignments that characterize Stonehenge itself. The discovery was made during excavations conducted between 2015 and 2017 as part of archaeological work supporting the British defense ministry's military accommodation program in the area.

Led by renowned archaeologist Phil Harding, the team used radiocarbon dating to confirm the wooden poles were placed into pits around 5,000 years ago, coinciding with the construction of Stonehenge's first earthworks. Notably, the famous stone circle itself was not erected until approximately 500 years later, around 2500 BCE. The site yielded a wealth of artifacts including pottery, animal bones, charcoal, and worked flints, as well as an "extremely rare disc-shaped knife" believed to have been deliberately placed as a symbolic reference to the sun disc. These findings suggest the location served as a major focus for religious gatherings and astronomical observation.

The discovery provides new perspective on prehistoric understanding of celestial mechanics. Skyscape archaeologist Fabio Silva demonstrated through reconstructions of the ancient sky, landscape, and horizon that the poles would have aligned precisely with the solstices, indicating the Neolithic people possessed sophisticated astronomical knowledge. Harding emphasized the significance of the find: "The sun was incredibly important to these prehistoric communities, and they could plot and record its midsummer rising to a high degree of accuracy." The structure suggests that reverence for solar alignments and the establishment of ceremonial sites based on astronomical observations predated the construction of Stonehenge itself.

The findings, released ahead of the summer solstice on June 21, 2026, reshape understanding of the Stonehenge landscape. Rather than representing a singular creation, the discovery demonstrates a prolonged cultural conversation spanning centuries about humanity's relationship with celestial phenomena. University of Exeter archaeologist Susan Greaney noted that the wooden poles form part of a significant Middle Neolithic settlement at Bulford, highlighting the eastern Stonehenge landscape as an important focus for both habitation and monument construction. The discovery underscores how astronomical and spiritual practices influenced the development of some of humanity's most enduring prehistoric sites.