Neolithic pit circle uncovered near Stonehenge
New research is shedding light on one of Britain’s most mysterious prehistoric discoveries
Archaeologists say new research is shedding light on one of Britain’s most mysterious prehistoric discoveries near Stonehenge.
A circle of massive Neolithic pits - each up to ten metres wide and nearly seven metres deep - was first found in 2020, enclosing more than three square kilometres around Durrington Walls and Woodhenge.
Experts from the University of Bradford have used cutting-edge dating and DNA analysis to reveal the pits were built in the Late Neolithic, offering fresh clues about ancient life and ceremony in the area.
Professor Vince Gaffney, lead archaeologist from the University of Bradford, said: “The recent work confirms that the circle of shafts surrounding Durrington Walls is without precedent within the UK. These features were not simply dug and abandoned – they were part of a structured, monumental landscape that speaks to the complexity and sophistication of Neolithic society.”
The research moves the debate from “big mysterious holes” to understanding their purpose, chronology, and environmental setting.
Archaeologists believe the pits may have marked a sacred boundary linked to ceremonial activity at Durrington Walls, echoing cosmological ideas that shaped the Stonehenge landscape.
This work forms part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project, an international collaboration led by the University of Birmingham and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology, with partners including the University of Bradford, University of St Andrews, University of Warwick, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and Ghent University.
You can find out more on the University of Bradford website.