World News for Students of English

26-06-2026 07:00

Archaeologists have discovered a much simpler, earlier version of Stonehenge just five kilometers away from the famous prehistoric monument. This ancient structure is about 5,000 years old, which predates Stonehenge by 500 years.

All that remains of this older site are two large holes in the ground separated by 120 meters. Experts confirm that these pits once held massive wooden posts that lined up perfectly with the rising sun on the summer solstice and the setting sun on the winter solstice. The wooden posts themselves have long since rotted away, and the site is now located beneath a modern housing estate.

During excavations, scientists found various ancient artefacts, including delicate pottery, flint tools, and animal bones. These discoveries suggest that prehistoric farming communities gathered there to celebrate the changing seasons. For the lead archaeologist, this breakthrough provides incredible insights into how early human communities behaved and viewed the heavens.

Difficult words: predate (to be older than something else, or to happen at an earlier time in history), pit (a big, deep hole dug into the ground to hold a large wooden pole or post upright), excavation (the careful digging in the ground by scientists to find hidden things from the past), flint (a very hard, grey stone that ancient people used as a tool to cut things or make fire).

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