Megaliths. The world's largest concentration of megalithic structures Ancient megalithic structures

The so-called megalithic structures (in Greek “big stones”) began to appear in the late Neolithic period, and in the Bronze Age they became a fairly common phenomenon. Megaliths include dolmens, menhirs, cromlechs, alinemans, covered passages, etc. All these structures are built from very large stone slabs or blocks. Their geography is very vast - they are found in the Caucasus, Crimea, northern and western Europe (England, France, the Netherlands, Denmark), the Balkans, India, Iran, North Africa, Korea and many other places.
Megaliths served as cult places for the ancestors: dolmens and menhirs for honoring ancestors, cromlechs for worshiping the sun and fire, etc. For the hard work of moving and installing giant stones, primitive people were required to unite the efforts of significant groups. Most of the dolmens have survived to this day.

When a tourist is going to travel to any country, it is useful for him to think about his travel plan in advance and choose those attractions...

1. Stonehenge (UK) , hotels nearby

130 km southwest of London there is a unique megalith - Stonehenge, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986, and within the country is under the care of English Heritage.
According to scientists, this structure is about 5,000 years old. Its appearance is widely known - a circle of stones, around which there are 56 burial holes. In the center of the megalith there is a stone altar weighing about 6 tons. In total, Stonehenge counted 82 stone blocks weighing 5 tons, 30 - 25 tons each, and 5 arches of three stones (triliths) - 50 tons each. The arches are precisely oriented to the cardinal points. To create Stonehenge, stones were used from different places, some of which were located 210 km from the megalith.

2. Puma Punku and Kalasasaya (Tiwanaku) , hotels nearby

Near the Bolivian village of Tiwanaku, located 20 km from Lake Titicaca at an altitude of 4000 m above sea level, are the famous megaliths Puma Punku and Kalasasaya. In the distant past, they were cyclopean structures, external walls big temple The Kalasasaya suns had a length of 130x1500 m. Next to it was the Akapana pyramid with dimensions of 200x220 m. Made of giant stone blocks of andesite, sandstone or diorite, weighing up to 120 tons, the walls in some places were more than 3 meters thick.
The ruins of Puma Punku, lying just 300 m from Tiwanaku, amaze with their grandiose scale - huge slabs weighing up to 500 tons are scattered over several hectares. They are hewn from diorite and andesite, mined in the mountains 17 km from here.
In addition to their enormous size and weight, the Kalasasaya and Puma Punku stones surprise with their filigree processing using technology unknown to us. There are suggestions that ancient builders worked with these rocks like plasticine, perhaps even melting them and pouring them into molds.
In the ancient quarries here, there are no traces of crushing or drilling, only smooth niches remain, as if someone had cut the blocks with a giant knife from “plasticine” rock. The blocks often have a very complex shape, with various cutouts with ideal geometry. They fit so tightly that even a thin blade cannot be inserted between them.

3. Sacsayhuaman , hotels nearby

IN South America there are other megalithic structures - the remains of cyclopean walls, the lower tier of the most ancient terraces and buildings in Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo, Cusco, Tambomachay (Peru) are composed of them. The age of some of them is determined to be 14,000-17,000 years. Similar ruins are located in dozens of regions of Peru, Bolivia, Mexico and Colombia near the villages of Vinay Vaina, Taraco, Llactapata, Copacapana, Lokvepaia and others. But those are much less studied.
Particularly interesting are the ruins of 3 walls about 600 m long in the “fortress” of Sacsayhuaman. The height of two walls is 10 m, and the third - 5 m. The first (lower) wall is made of diorite and andesite blocks weighing 100-200 tons, the largest dimensions are 4x5x9 m. The second and third walls are built from slightly smaller blocks. Moreover, all the blocks are perfectly adjusted to each other, the gaps between them are simply not visible. Polyhedral blocks have a rather complex shape. They were mined in a quarry located 20 kilometers from Sacsayhuaman, and at this distance there is very uneven terrain (steep descents, ascents, gorges).

4. Ahu and moai - megaliths of Easter Island , hotels nearby

On Lost in Pacific Ocean Easter Island is home to 887 famous Moai sculptures. The largest idols are located on the slope of the Rano Raraku volcano. They have already sunk up to their necks into the ground for many millennia. Some originally stood on ahu - stone pedestals, of which there are about 300 on the island. The sizes of the pedestals range from tens of meters to 200 m. The height of the largest moai “El Giante” (that is, the “giant”) is 21.6 m, and the weight is from 150 to 270 t. It is located in the Rano Raraku quarry. The largest moai standing on a pedestal, “Paro,” weighs 80 tons and is 10 m high. Other moai scattered along the slope of the volcano also have a height of about 10 m.

5. Baalbek (Lebanon) , hotels nearby

The Middle East also boasts its megaliths, for example, in Lebanon there are the ruins of Baalbek. There are three stone blocks there, each weighing 750 tons, and the Romans once used them as the foundation for the Temple of Jupiter. The dimensions of the blocks are amazing - 4.3x5.6x19.1 m, while their surfaces are perfectly processed. These giant blocks are raised 8 meters, resting on slightly smaller blocks.
500 m south of the Temple of Jupiter, the South Stone sticks out of the ground, weighing approximately 1050 tons and considered the largest processed stone in Baalbek (4.2 x 4.8 x 21.5 m). Modern engineers estimate that only a mighty crawler crane could lift such a colossus and transport it along a good road. What kind of equipment did the builders of Baalbek use?

6. Temple Mount in Jerusalem , hotels nearby

When archaeological work was carried out under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem at the end of the last century, the remains of megalithic structures were found. Made up of them southern part fragment of the foundation of the western supporting wall of the Temple of Solomon built before our era. The masonry rows of this wall were hidden by the ground for several millennia, and since 1996 they have become visible in the Western Wall Tunnel, which is about 500 meters long, which stretches from Via Dolorosa to Wilson's Arch. At the level of the ancient street, 4 huge stone blocks were exposed here, the lengths of three of which are 8.5, 13.5 and 14 meters, and the weight is 355, 570 and 600 tons. Just like in Baalbek, these huge blocks were laid on smaller stones. All of them were moved here from a quarry located west of Jerusalem.

7. Megaliths of Ethiopia , hotels nearby

Each of powerful of the world who lived on this sinful earth tried to immortalize themselves in history by building a magnificent palace. To the residence, as...

The basalt steles that either lie on the ground or stand in the city of Axum in Ethiopia near the shores of the Red Sea also pose a mystery. The largest obelisk has a rectangular outline with a height of 33.5 meters, and it weighs approximately 500 tons. Other stones are noticeably smaller - from 20 to 24 meters. Their surfaces are carefully processed and dotted with ornaments. The stones are in disarray and many are broken. U local residents there is a legend about the giant Cyclopes who built them, who could melt stones. Allegedly, they poured the molten mass into molds, and after the workpieces cooled, they trimmed and polished them.
Excavations in Axum showed that previously the steles stood on pedestals, one of which was a three-tiered platform made of large basalt slabs and found itself under the Bete Georgis hill. The stone for the blocks was mined in quarries located several kilometers from this place.

8. Yonaguni Underwater Megaliths , hotels nearby

Pyramids and megalithic structures of unknown antiquity exist in a variety of places:

• at the bottom of the Bahama Bank near the islands of Andros and Bimini;
• on the island of Ponape and 92 artificial islands of Nan Madol, as well as in the shallow waters near them - in the Pacific archipelago of the Caroline Islands;
• at the bottom of Rock Lake in Wisconsin (USA);
• at the bottom of the sea near Japanese island Yonaguni, etc.

The latter deserve special attention, because multi-meter blocks with regular outlines were discovered there, resting at a 6-meter depth near the coast of Yonaguni Island from the Okinawa archipelago. In 1985, they were discovered by Japanese scuba diver K. Aratake. He told marine seismologist from Okinawa University M. Kimura about his discovery. The scientist conducted a detailed study of them for 10 years, after which he concluded that this was nothing more than a sunken prehistoric city. In 1997, underwater video filming was carried out here by the film crew of G. Hancock, and at the same time geology professor R. Schoch from the University of Boston worked. They were able to confirm that the stone blocks near the shores of Yonaguni Island are of artificial origin.

9. Zorats-Karer , hotels nearby

In Armenian, Zorats-Karer means “stone army,” but this ancient megalith, located at an altitude of 1770 m on a mountain plateau in the Sinyuk region of Armenia, 3 km from the city of Sisian, has another name: “Karahunj” - “singing stones.” This complex contains many huge upright stones, some of which have round holes at the top. This structure with an unknown age (from 4000 years to 7700 years) was declared a historical and cultural reserve in 2009.
The place is a field strewn with stones. In the structure, they were able to number 223 andesite (basalt) slabs weighing up to 8.5 m and 1.5-2.8 m long. Some stones form a not very even row, stretching from southeast to northwest. In the central part of the row there is an oval of stones, and on its opposite sides there are corridors-passages. Next to the mound there is a stone box - a tomb.
Most of all, the mystery is represented by through holes made in the upper part of 80 stones with a diameter of 40-50 mm. They are made rather crudely, some of them are bent at an angle - the result of conical drilling from opposite sides. The stone inside the holes is better preserved than on the surface of the monolith. Now 37 stones with 47 holes remain standing.

10. American Stonehenge , hotels nearby

This is the name of the archaeological site, consisting of several stone structures and large boulders scattered over 120 square meters. m in the city of Salem (New Hampshire, USA). There are different versions of its origin: it could have been built by settlers from Europe in pre-Columbian times, by local farmers in the 18th-19th centuries, or by the owner of the site, W. Goodwin, in the 30s of the last century. Radiocarbon dating of local sediments showed dates from 2000 to 173 BC. e., which corresponds to one of the archaic Indian cultures or the early Woodland period.
In 1982, the director of a local restaurant, D. Stewart-Smith, began excavating a megalith found in a quarry north of the monument. A team of researchers and archaeologists found a quarry and hundreds of fragments of stones, which were mistaken for waste from the production of primitive stone tools.

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Megalith this is a religious structure made of huge unprocessed or semi-processed stone blocks. The term "megalith" translated from Greek means "large stone." Megaliths include dolmens, menhirs, cromlechs, covered alleys, thaulas, trilithons, stone mounds, etc. Dolmens are structures made of several stones covered with a stone slab on top. A menhir is a single stone standing in an upright position. A cromlech is several menhirs that form a circle. Taula is a structure made of stones in the shape of the letter “T”. Trilithons are two upright stones covered with a block of stone.

Megaliths are best known in Western Europe, North Africa, and the Caucasus. These structures date back to different eras. The oldest ones were built about ten thousand years ago.

Megaliths - are divided into menhirs, dolmens, cromlechs and so-called covered alleys - depending on their architecture. Menhirs (Breton high stones) are lonely stones up to 20 m high that resemble pillars or steles. A dolmen (Breton stone-table) looks like a gate made of huge stone slabs. A cromlech (Breton boulder circle) is a circle of individual vertical stones. Sometimes cromlechs have a more complex structure - the stones that make them up can be covered in pairs or three at a time with horizontal slabs, like a roof. A dolmen or menhir can be installed in the middle of the circle.

Many megaliths are also found in Australia. Their construction is attributed either to the mysterious Wonjins, who came from the sea and are depicted as creatures without mouths, with halos around their heads, or as dwarfs. Adyghe people call Caucasian dolmens syrp-un, which means houses of dwarfs. Ossetians have a legend about a people of dwarfs - Bitsenta, who are endowed with supernatural traits. For example, the bicenta dwarf is capable of knocking down a huge tree with one glance. According to legend, dwarfs live in the sea. In addition, Ossetians claim that the ancestors of the Caucasian peoples - the mythical Narts - also came out of the sea and gave people culture. The megaliths of Britain are surrounded by amazing romantic legends. At night, legends say, at certain times of the year, the hills open up and the strange unearthly light pouring from them attracts random companions to the land of the dwarf seedlings, who went underground in ancient times. The Seeds also live somewhere far away in the ocean on the islands of the Promised Land. They possess wisdom and countless treasures.

Today it is difficult to say for what purpose these structures were built. According to scientists, they are mainly associated with the cult of burial. Some megaliths may have been used as astronomical observatories. For example, most likely, such a structure is a megalith in the Nubian desert in the Nabla Playa area.

In Russia, the most famous megaliths are located in the North-West Caucasus, Karachay-Cherkessia, Karelia and the Kola Peninsula. Recently, scientists discovered megalithic structures not only on land, but in water several tens of kilometers from Bahamas at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

There are many legends associated with megaliths. In Britain they say that the construction of stone structures is the work of mysterious dwarf species who own countless treasures. In Polynesia, they say that the megaliths were built by gods with red beards who came out of the ocean.

There is also a version that many of the megaliths are traces of the existence of the first settlers on Earth - the Atlanteans. It was not possible for ancient people to move some of the stones to a distance of about 380 km from where they were taken. In our opinion, the last phrase should be considered key: “In Polynesia they say that the megaliths were built by gods with red beards who came out of the ocean.” In our opinion, this proves that it was the Atlanteans who were involved in their construction, who, according to our information, were fair-haired people of very tall stature - from 2 to 3 meters or more, and possessed enormous physical strength.

Megaliths stone buildings made from giant blocks, created without the use of binding mortars. These structures represent one of the greatest mysteries of antiquity, which has not yet been solved.

There are several types of megaliths: dolmens (a box of blocks covered with a slab), menhirs (free-standing blocks) and cromlechs (circular fences). The antiquity of these structures, as well as their scale, involuntarily make one wonder who created these structures and why, what kind of civilization was it? The problem is that the oldest megaliths are more than 7,000 years old, and this is a layer of history that is shrouded in fog for science. Ignoring the ancient legends about the Flood led the scientific world to bewilderment, turned a blind eye to obvious facts and led to numerous contradictions in historical science. However, many scientists are aware of this and publicly speak about the need to revise the history of mankind.

Megalithic temples

It is believed that most megaliths are megalithic temples and religious buildings. The most famous megaliths, of course, are associated with Stonehenge (England) and Karnak (France). Some structures look primitive, while others are quite sophisticated. It must, however, be borne in mind that these structures can be called temples conditionally, since it has not been proven that they were actually intended for religious purposes. But there is evidence of unusual properties of at least some of mysterious structures. Thus, the well-known Stonehenge contains stones that at certain times emit a powerful electrical impulse. No one yet knows where the energy for the impulses comes from, but one thing is clear that this is not a simple pile of stones; they are located in a given, precise order. In the mentioned megaliths, researchers have established striking patterns described by rows of stones: starting from the radii of the orbits of solar system bodies, and ending with mathematical functions.

Temples of Malta

There is a place not as famous as Stonehenge, but which has significantly more ancient megaliths in Malta. Malta is known for its resorts, but few have heard of the ancient temples of Malta. Megalithic temples Even according to official scientific estimates, Malta was built 5.5-7 thousand years ago.

Giant people

The biggest challenge for science is to explain how megalithic structures were built. After all, construction from stone blocks, whose weight is tens of tons, and whose length is 8 m, is problematic to carry out even with modern technology (especially in hard-to-reach areas). In the case of Malta, we are dealing with complexes of structures. Obviously, the builders did not experience any serious difficulties from the technological side. They also had means of delivering these blocks and necessary tools processing, and the necessary skills. Their knowledge, apparently, was qualitatively different from modern ones, since they used energies that modern science can only guess about. And it is no coincidence that serious scientists, even before the discoveries in the Borjomi Gorge, came to the conclusion that people are giants. about which numerous legends speak are not fiction. It is the giants who are the builders of these mysterious buildings, the purpose of which may never be fully understood by us.

Most megaliths date back to 5-2 thousand BC. but in a number of regions they were built almost to the present day [Caroline Islands, 19th century; Easter Island. XVIII century].

Mostly, megaliths presented in two types.

1. The first is ground-based structures, most of them for religious purposes; these include cairns ( cores), menhirs and alleys of menhirs,
2. cromlechs. certain types henge. bowl stones. The second type is underground and above-ground stone tombs.

Megalithic structures can also include the Cyclopean buildings of the Ancient Aegean (including among the peoples of the sea), and the ancient Egyptian ones. Sumerian. Mesoamerican and similar Canarian pyramids (on Tenerife).

Some believe that the oldest megaliths are more than ten thousand years old. V.I. Markovin attributes ancient dolmens by 2700 BC In other words, many of the tombs are about 5,000 years old. The first dolmens appeared on the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains before they began to build pyramids in Egypt. Moreover, the ancient powerful center of megalithic construction that existed in the Caucasus is comparable to the world of European megaliths of the “Atlantic belt” from Spain to Sweden. Dolmens are found both in Crimea and Far East, and in Central Asia. However, most of them are in the Caucasus - about 2.5 thousand!

The purpose of megaliths cannot always be determined. For the most part, according to some scientists, they served for burials or were associated with the funeral cult. There are other opinions. Apparently, megaliths are communal buildings (the function is socializing). Their construction was a very difficult task for primitive technology and required the unification of large masses of people. Some megalithic structures, such as the complex of more than 3,000 stones at Carnac (Brittany) France, were important ceremonial centers associated with the cult of the dead. Other megalith complexes have been used to determine the timing of astronomical events such as solstices and equinoxes. In the Nabta Playa area in the Nubian desert, a megalithic structure was found that served for astronomical purposes. This structure is 1000 years older than Stonehenge, which is also considered a kind of prehistoric observatory.

Types of megalithic structures:

• menhir single vertical standing stone
• cromlech a group of menhirs forming a circle or semicircle
• dolmen - a structure made of a huge stone placed on several other stones
• taula stone structure in the shape of the letter T
• trilith structure made of a block of stone mounted on two vertical stones
• seid including stone structure
• cairn stone mound with one or more rooms
• indoor gallery
• boat grave

Today, people look at giant skyscrapers and consider them the pinnacle of human engineering. At the same time, many are not even aware of technological miracles ancient history- buildings and temples that seemed impossible to build in that distant time. This review contains little-known examples of amazing ancient buildings.

1. Pueblo Bonito

United States of America

Located in northwestern New Mexico, Pueblo Bonito is the largest and most famous example of a "palace village" built by the Anasazi culture. The settlement began to be built in the first half of the 10th century AD, and was completed only 180 years later. At its peak, Pueblo Bonito had approximately 800 individual structures, some as many as five stories tall. The ancient settlement was first discovered in 1849 by US Army Lieutenant James H. Simpson. Since then, Pueblo Bonito has become one of the most excavated and explored archaeological sites in the southwestern United States. Unfortunately, a number of buildings were damaged when part of the cliff behind the settlement collapsed. What is especially interesting is that many mysterious petroglyphs were found in Pueblo Bonito, made somewhere at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th century.

2. Chatal

Türkiye

The ancient settlement of Catal, discovered in southern Turkey, is estimated by modern scientists to have existed since 7500 BC. until about 5700 BC It was built by an unknown Neolithic culture, which scientists believe was highly advanced at that time. Excavations have been ongoing since the discovery of Chatal in the late 1950s by British archaeologist James Mellaart. A number of interesting items were discovered, including (presumably) the earliest known map and some of the highest quality daggers of the period. The houses in Chatal have one intriguing feature: they do not have doors, and one had to enter the house through the roof, climbing up the stairs. Also dead in this ancient settlement They were buried under the floors of houses, in particular under fireplaces.

3. Lokmarak

France

French region Brittany is famous for its group of the largest prehistoric European megaliths. The largest megalith, created around 4500 BC, measures almost 21 meters in length and weighs between 200 and 280 tons. Today, no one will know why this megalith, known as the “Fairy Stone,” was broken thousands of years ago. This may have been caused by an earthquake, but most likely it was done by people. What is especially striking is that the “Fairy Stone” was delivered in one solid piece from a quarry located more than 10 kilometers away. How this was done is unknown.

4. Colossi of Memnon

Egypt

Built as a monument to Pharaoh Amenhotep III and placed near his now-destroyed temple, the Colossi of Memnon are a pair of 23-meter-tall statues. Also on these statues (to be more precise, at the foot of the thrones of the statues) you can find reliefs of Amenhotep’s wife, daughter and mother. The statues were named after Memnon, the hero of the Trojan War. There were stories that before the statues were damaged by the earthquake, the northern statue would make a sound like a bell ringing in the morning (possibly due to rising temperatures). The Egyptians believed that this sound expressed the approval of the gods.

5. Pillar of Pompey

Egypt

Pompey's Pillar was erected as a monument to the Roman Emperor Diocletian after he suppressed a rebellion in Alexandria. It is often mistakenly believed that it was built in honor of the Roman consul Gnaeus Pompey the Great, but the inscription on its base clearly indicates that the pillar was made in honor of Diocletian by the people of Alexandria. The story that when Pompey was defeated by Julius Caesar and fled Rome for Egypt, he was killed in Alexandria and his head placed in a funerary jar on top of a pillar (thus giving the pillar its name) is a myth. The 27-meter pillar was built during the fourth century AD and was once part of the temple of the Roman god Serapis, which was later destroyed.

6. Dolmen Menga

Spain

Dating back to around 2000 BC, the Menga Dolmen (also known as Cueva de Menga) is a large megalithic burial mound located in southern Spain. The rows of burial chambers (their walls, roof and pillars) were created from huge stone blocks weighing up to 180 tons. As for the name, legend says that a leper named Menga took up residence inside the dolmen after her husband died. Archaeologists believe that this dolmen is the largest such structure in Europe, and several hundred different skeletons inside it may have belonged to the rulers of the culture that built Menga. However, who these builders were remains a mystery to this day.

7. Quirigua

Guatemala

Built by the Mayans between 200 and 800 AD. The city of Quirigua contains remarkable examples of Mayan architecture, as well as some of the largest stelae (carved stone monuments) in existence. The “Stela E” alone weighs an incredible 65 tons. Quirigua was abandoned around 900 AD, which was probably due to the decline of the jade trade.

8. Dur Sharrukin

Iraq

Dur Sharrukin, which translates from Akkadian as "Sargon's Fortress", was built by the Assyrians sometime between 717 and 707 BC. in the northern part of modern Iraq. The size of the city was almost 2.6 square kilometers, and especially notable in it were the temple of Nabu (the god of vegetation) and royal palace. However, the most interesting artifact recovered from the ruins is the Assyrian bull - a stone statue weighing about 40 tons. The city was abandoned soon after its construction was completed because King Sargon II of Assyria was killed in battle.

9. Hajar Kim

Malta

Located in Malta, megalithic temple complex Hajar Qim is believed to have been built by a culture unknown to modern scientists between 3200 and 2500 BC. It is believed that this culture was destroyed as a result of famine or natural disaster. One of the earliest examples of religious beliefs can be found in Hajar Qim, with a number of statues of the fertility goddess preserved in the local temple. Interestingly, Hajar Qim was built hundreds of years earlier than Stonehenge.

10. Tiwanaku

Bolivia

The prehistoric capital of Tiwanaku culture, the city of Tiwanaku is located on the shores of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. It was originally a small village, but between 400 and 900 AD. the city literally blossomed and many of the largest stone structures in South America were erected there. However, the city suddenly became deserted around 1000 AD, most likely due to floods. Eventually the Tiahuanaco civilization was conquered by the Incas. The city, which was once home to more than a million people, was only rediscovered in 1876.

On the surface of the globe, with the exception of Australia, there are many mysterious and ancient buildings. Modern research has shown that they were erected in the Neolithic, Eneolithic and Eneolithic periods. Previously, it was believed that they all represented one common culture, but today more and more scientists are questioning this theory.

So, who and why were such megalithic structures created? Why do they have one shape or another and what do they mean? Where can you see these monuments of ancient culture?

Before considering and studying megalithic structures, you need to understand what elements they may consist of. Today it is generally accepted that the smallest unit of construction of this type is a megalith. This term was officially introduced into scientific terminology in 1867, at the suggestion of the English specialist A. Herbert. The word “megalith” is Greek and translated into Russian means “big stone”.

An accurate and comprehensive definition of what megaliths are does not yet exist. Today, this concept refers to ancient structures made of stone blocks, slabs or simple blocks of various sizes without the use of any cementing or binding compounds or solutions. The simplest type of megalithic structures, consisting of just one block, are menhirs.

Main features of megalithic structures

In different eras, different peoples erected huge structures from large stones, blocks and slabs. Temple in Baalbek and Egyptian pyramids They are also megaliths, it’s just not customary to call them that. Thus, megalithic structures are various structures created by different ancient civilizations and consisting of large stones or slabs.

However, all structures considered megaliths have a number of features that unite them:

1. All of them are made of stones, blocks and slabs of gigantic size, the weight of which can range from several tens of kilograms to hundreds of tons.

2. Ancient megalithic structures were built from strong and resistant to destruction rocks: limestone, andesite, basalt, diorite and others.

3. No cement was used during construction - neither in the mortar for fastening, nor for the manufacture of blocks.

4. In most buildings, the surface of the blocks from which they are made is carefully processed, and the blocks themselves are tightly fitted to each other. The precision is such that it is impossible to insert a knife blade between two megalithic blocks of volcanic rock.

5. Quite often, later civilizations used the preserved fragments of megalithic buildings as foundations for their own buildings, which is clearly visible in the buildings in Jerusalem.

When were they created?

Most megalithic sites located in Great Britain, Ireland and other Western European countries date back to the 5th-4th millennia BC. e. The most ancient megalithic structures located on the territory of our country date back to the 4th -2nd millennia BC.

The entire variety of megalithic buildings can be conditionally divided into two large groups:

• funeral;
• non-funeral:
• profane;
• sacred.

If everything is more or less clear with funerary megaliths, then scientists are building hypotheses about the purpose of profane structures, such as various giant layouts of walls and roads, military and residential towers.

There is no accurate and reliable information about how ancient people used sacred megalithic structures: menhirs, cromlechs and others.

What are they?

The most common types of megaliths are:

• menhirs - single, vertically installed stone stelae up to 20 meters high;
• cromlech - a union of several menhirs around the largest, forming a semicircle or circle;
• dolmens - the most common type of megaliths in Europe, are one or more large stone slabs laid on other blocks or boulders;
• covered gallery - one of the types of dolmens connected to each other;
• trilith - a stone structure consisting of two or more vertical stones and one laid horizontally on top of them;
• taula - a stone structure in the shape of the Russian letter “T”;
• cairn, also known as “gury” or “tour” - an underground or above-ground structure, laid out in the form of a cone of many stones;
• stone rows are vertically and parallelly installed blocks of stone;
• seid - a stone boulder or block installed by one or another people in a special place, usually on a hill, for holding various mystical ceremonies.

Only the most famous types of megalithic structures are listed here. Let's take a closer look at some of them.

Translated from Breton into Russian it means “stone table”.

As a rule, it consists of three stones, one of which lies on two vertically installed ones in the shape of the letter “P”. When constructing such structures, ancient people did not adhere to any single scheme, so there are many options for dolmens serving different functions. The most famous megalithic structures of this type are located on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Africa and Europe, in India, Scandinavia, and the Caucasus.

Trilith

Scientists consider trilith to be one of the subspecies of dolmen, consisting of three stones. As a rule, this term is applied not to separately located megaliths, but to monuments that are components of more complex structures. For example, in such a famous megalithic complex as Stonehenge, the central part consists of five trilithons.

Another type of megalithic building is the cairn, or tour. This is a cone-shaped mound of stones, although in Ireland this name refers to a structure of only five stones. They can be located both on the surface of the earth and under it. In scientific circles, a cairn most often means megalithic structures located underground: labyrinths, galleries and burial chambers.

The oldest and simplest type of megalithic structures are menhirs. These are single, vertically mounted massive boulders or stones. Menhirs differ from ordinary, natural stone blocks in their surface with traces of processing and in the fact that their vertical size is always larger than the horizontal. They can be either free-standing or part of complex megalithic complexes.

In the Caucasus, menhirs were shaped like fish and called vishap. On the territory of modern France, in the Crimea and the Black Sea region, quite a lot of anthropomorphic magalites - stone women - have been preserved.

Rune stones and stone crosses created much later are also post-megalithic menhirs.

Cromlech

Several menhirs, installed in the form of a semicircle or circle and covered with stone slabs on top, are called cromlechs. The most famous example is Stonehenge.

However, in addition to round ones, there are also rectangular cromlechs, as, for example, in Morbihan or Khakassia. On the island of Malta, cromlech temple complexes are built in the shape of “petals”. To create such megalithic structures, not only stone, but also wood was used, which was confirmed by finds obtained during archaeological work in the English county of Norfolk.

"Flying Stones of Lapland"

The most common megalithic structures in Russia, strange as it may sound, are seids - huge boulders mounted on small stands. Sometimes the main block is decorated with one or more small stones arranged in a “pyramid”. This type of megaliths is widespread from the shores of Lakes Onega and Ladoga all the way to the coast Barents Sea, that is, throughout all parts of Russia.

On and in Karelia there are seids ranging in size from several tens of centimeters to six meters and weighing from tens of kilograms to several tons, depending on the rock from which they were made. In addition to the Russian North, quite a lot of megaliths of this type are found in the taiga regions of Finland, northern and central Norway, and the mountains of Sweden.

Seids can be single, group or massive, including from ten to several hundred megaliths.