5,000-years-old neolithic stone circles discovered in Dartmoor support 'Sacred Arc' theory

Two previously unknown Neolithic stone circles estimated to be about 5,000 years old were discovered in Dartmoor National Park in southwest England. The stone circles, uncovered during fieldwork near Taw Marsh, may form part of a significant ancient monument complex, indicating that Stonehenge was not the only stone circle built in the region, according to reports from Ancient Origins and Live Science.

Independent archaeologist Alan Endacott, a self-funded Ph.D. researcher at the University of Exeter, announced the discoveries during his fieldwork. The findings include the Metheral circle and the Irishman's Wall circle, as reported by Newsweek. Endacott has devoted the last two decades to searching for new stone circles in Dartmoor as part of a larger research project that is the focus of his doctoral dissertation.

The Metheral circle, oval-shaped and spanning 130 feet by 108 feet, consists of about 20 standing stones, most of which have toppled over or are covered by vegetation, with each stone up to 40 inches in height. There is evidence that there were more stones at the Metheral circle in the past, according to sources including Live Science and Smithsonian Magazine.

Endacott suggests that the Metheral circle aligns with seven other stone monuments in a half-circle, supporting his "sacred arc" theory. This theory proposes that prehistoric people constructed a network of stone circles as part of an interconnected sacred landscape during the Neolithic period. He believes the eight stone circles are built in a near-perfect half-circle to the east and south, effectively enclosing some of Dartmoor's highest land.

The second circle discovered by Endacott and his team lies about one mile north of the Metheral circle and is believed to have functioned as an entrance point from the north. Known as the Irishman's Wall circle, it is less intact, with only six stones visible above ground. Endacott thinks this circle was part of an entranceway into what was regarded in Neolithic times as a sacred area, according to reports from Live Science and Archaeology Magazine.

Earlier this year, Endacott used techniques such as magnetic gradiometry and resistivity tools to confirm the discoveries of the stone circles in Dartmoor. He also conducted excavations between September and October, revealing crucial details about the construction of these ancient structures. Results from the tests conducted by the excavation team, which are not yet available, could reveal more information about the sites, as reported by Smithsonian Magazine.

Susan Greaney from the University of Exeter sees the discoveries as evidence of further archaeological finds. "This 'arc' of circles, measuring more than 8 km [5 miles] across, is rather extraordinary, and suggests the upland area of northern Dartmoor it encloses was particularly special to prehistoric people," she said in an email, according to Live Science.

Endacott explained that the Metheral structure is suggestive of a Neolithic henge monument of a similar form to the Stipple Stones on Bodmin Moor, the Ring of Brodgar on Orkney, or even the earliest phase of Stonehenge. "It [the Metheral circle] is suggestive of a Neolithic henge monument of a similar form to the Stipple Stones on Bodmin Moor, the Ring of Brodgar on Orkney, or even the earliest phase of Stonehenge," he told Newsweek.

Ancient Origins, Popular Mechanics, Live Science, Newsweek, Smithsonian Magazine, Archaeology Magazine, and Münchner Merkur reported on the findings, among other websites. 

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq