Thousands of modern druids, tourists celebrate winter solstice at Stonehenge

On Saturday, thousands of people, including druids, shamans, and tourists, gathered at the ancient site of Stonehenge in Britain to witness the first sunrise after the winter solstice, according to a report by The Independent. Dressed in warm and brightly colored clothes, attendees sang, clapped, and shouted with joy as they watched the sun rise over the prehistoric monument. Despite low winter clouds obscuring the sun, there was a flurry of drumming, chanting, and singing to celebrate the occasion.

As dawn approached, cheers and applause could be heard, and attendees applauded as the sun rose over the Neolithic monument, faithful to a celebration of pagan origin observed for thousands of years. The winter solstice, traditionally celebrated at Stonehenge, is the shortest day of the year in terms of daylight hours, with less than eight hours of light. After this day, the days will lengthen until the summer solstice in June.

Stonehenge has long been associated with the solstices. The stones were built to align with the sun in both midsummer (June 21) and midwinter (December 21), specifically with the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset. The unique stone circle, erected in the late Neolithic period around 2500 BCE, has been a source of wonder and mystery for almost 5,000 years.

The full purpose of Stonehenge is still debated, with theories suggesting it may have served as a temple, a solar calculator, a cemetery, or a combination of these functions. The Independent reported that in a paper published in the journal Archaeology International, researchers from University College London and Aberystwyth University said the site on Salisbury Plain, about 128 kilometers southwest of London, may have had political as well as spiritual significance.

Some of the stones at Stonehenge were brought from the Preseli Hills in southwest Wales, nearly 240 kilometers to the west, including the smaller stones known as bluestones that form the inner horseshoe and outer circle. The Independent reported that the stone lying flat at the center of the monument, called the 'altar stone', has been discovered to come from Scotland and not from Wales, as was originally thought. The effort to transport the stones to Stonehenge from hundreds of kilometers away using only primitive tools suggests they had a unifying purpose, as indicated by the geographical diversity of the stones.

People have been gathering around the circle for thousands of years, and many continue to wonder how and especially why this landmark was created, according to TheTravel.

The winter solstice is one of the few days of the year when visitors are allowed to touch the stones at Stonehenge. English Heritage, which manages Stonehenge, opened its Monument Field for visitors to see the sunrise. The event was broadcast live on YouTube, allowing individuals worldwide to celebrate this centuries-long Celtic tradition, as reported by TheTravel.

Sam MacDonald, an NHS worker from Oxford, who took the day off to attend the solstice event last year, shared his experience. "I find the solstices and the equinoxes are a good time to take stock, check how you're doing, look back at what you've achieved, and think about what might come along. Now I've seen the solstice sunrise, I can believe that this winter won't last forever. Spring will come," he said, according to TheTravel.

For the farmers who lived near Stonehenge, the winter solstice symbolized the beginning of the new year and the lengthening of the days, which was celebrated with a great feast.

Those who observed the spectacle at the Neolithic monument in Wiltshire encountered a windy morning as they marked the shortest day. Revellers at Stonehenge shared face paint during the celebrations, and a hobby horse decked out in ribbons performed at the winter solstice celebrations.

The moment of the solstice occurs when the sun reaches its southernmost point directly above the Tropic of Capricorn. At this moment, the sun appears to "stand still" before reversing direction, a phenomenon reflected in the Latin roots of the word "solstice"—"sol" (sun) and "sistere" (to stand still). On December 21, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest away from the sun, resulting in reduced daylight hours and lower temperatures.

Chris Smith, a 31-year-old civil servant, expressed the significance of the event. "This is all about renewal, rebirth, we're entering into the new year, and it's also a good time to acknowledge what's taking place in the year that's been," he said, as reported by Gulf News.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq