Archaeologists to 'shed new light' on secrets of Stonehenge

Archaeologists who carried out a historic dig at Stonehenge will "shed new light" on the World Heritage site today.

Professors Timothy Darvill and Geoffrey Wainwright are to reveal preliminary findings of an ambitious project which involved the first dig inside the stone circle in 44 years.

A trench was excavated in March as part of a bid to establish the precise dating of the Double Bluestone Circle, the first stone structure built there thousands of years ago.

Ahead of a press conference at the Society of Antiquaries, in London, a spokesman said the pair would "shed new light" on the original date and placement of the stones.

"Their post-excavation analysis will also focus on how the materials collected during the excavation link to their theory about the healing powers of the ancient circle," he added.

Prof Darvill, of Bournemouth University, and Prof Wainwright, President of the Society of Antiquaries, compared samples from the dig with research in the Preseli hills in south west Wales, from where 80 such stones were carried an estimated 4,500 years ago.

Speaking as the project began, Dr Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage - which maintains Stonehenge - described the dig as "tremendously exciting".

He said: "The bluestones hold the key to understanding the purpose and meaning of Stonehenge.

"Their arrival marked a turning point in the history of Stonehenge, changing the site from being a fairly standard formative henge with timber structures and occasional use for burial, to the complex stone structure whose remains dominate the site today."

The last time an excavation was allowed inside the sarsen stone pillars was in 1964.

The hole, which measured 3.5 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep, was dug by hand in a previously excavated area on the south-eastern quadrant of the Double Stone Circle.

Prof Darvill consulted druid groups before carrying out the dig.

English Heritage agreed to the excavation on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, following consent by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

BBC Timewatch and Smithsonian Networks funded the project.