09/23/2008
Two British archeologists say the first excavation at the site of Stonehenge in more than 40 years has shed new light on the purpose of the landmark.
Professors Geoffrey Wainwright and Timothy Darvill told journalists Monday that Stonehenge was a kind of primeval Lourdes.
They say the stone circle was a center of healing which attracted the sick and infirm from all over prehistoric Europe.
They also say they have dated the first stone monuments at the site to about 2,300 B.C.
An unusual number of skeletons recovered from the area showed signs of serious disease or injury. Analysis of their dental records showed that about half were from outside the Stonehenge area.
Darvill said experts near Stonehenge have found two skulls that showed evidence of primitive surgery.
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