The 1960s Theory That Stonehenge Functioned as a Prehistoric Computer

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A BBC Culture article revisits a provocative theory from the 1960s proposing that Stonehenge, the ancient monument in England, functioned as a kind of prehistoric computer. The theory suggested that the stone structure was deliberately designed to track astronomical events and perform complex calendar calculations. This idea challenged conventional views of Stonehenge as purely a ceremonial or religious site. The article examines how this decades-old hypothesis was received and what it reveals about evolving interpretations of prehistoric human intelligence and engineering.

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