One of the most mysterious and intriguing pieces of architecture is the design of stones at Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, named Stonehenge. Its purpose still remains unclear, but historians and archaeologists have speculated that it was used as either a grounds for the worship of ancient deities or an astrological observatory in order to mark significant events on the calendar. Today the area is believed to be more of a celebration of the living and the heavenly bodies, more than a tribute place for the dead. The effort, time, and income used to build Stonehenge make the modern observer believe that it was most definitely built for an important and special purpose. Many believe that the construction was built by the Druids between 3000 and 1500 BCE. The stones that remain intact today simply represent the original design of Stonehenge.
             There is little that is interpreted from the design that remains today. Scholars and historians have to deduce the original meaning of the design of the stones from what remains. Many of the stones have fallen over or were removed by other generations for use in other purposes. There has also been much damage to the large stones due to close public contact and damage due to the elements over time.
             The construction of Stonehenge has traditionally been classified into three different stages. In the first period, dating to approximately 3000 BCE, the area now viewed as Stonehenge was merely a large circular ditch with an elevated area in the middle. The circle was roughly 320 feet in diameter, one entrance leading to the interior and a large number of holes around the edge of the circle, and a wooden sanctuary in the middle. The circle was aligned with the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset. It was also in line with the rising and setting of the moon. It was situated evenly with the most southerly rising and the most northerly setting of the moon.
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