New research by Curtin University has revealed how one of Stonehenge's most mysterious stones was likely transported hundreds of kilometres across Britain through challenging terrain, highlighting the remarkable capabilities of ancient communities.
Stonehenge's central Altar Stone is a six-tonne sandstone megalith now believed to have originated in northeast Scotland, around 700km from Salisbury Plain, underscoring the extraordinary scale of its journey.
The new study builds on earlier findings that ruled out glaciers as the sole mechanism for moving the stones, strengthening the conclusion people were responsible for transporting them across difficult terrain rather than relying on natural Ice Age processes.
Researchers have now focused on what that journey may have looked like, combining mineral grain dating with ice-sheet modelling to pinpoint the stone's origin and test whether glaciers could have carried it south.
Co-lead author Dr Anthony Clarke, from the Timescales of Minerals Systems Group within Curtin's School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the findings suggest the journey was far from simple and likely required careful planning across multiple stages.
"Rather than being carried naturally by ice, the evidence points to a deliberate, carefully planned movement across a challenging and varied landscape," Dr Clarke said.
"Our modelling shows glaciers may have transported rocks part of the way during the last Ice Age - potentially as far as Dogger Bank in the North Sea - but not into southern England, meaning the stone would still have needed to be moved hundreds of kilometres by people.
"The research indicates there were no viable glacial pathways linking the source region directly to Stonehenge, reinforcing the conclusion that human transport was required.
"Instead, this suggests the stone was likely moved in stages, potentially combining overland hauling with river or coastal transport where possible."
Dr Clarke said the findings reveal a level of organisation and cooperation among Neolithic communities not previously fully appreciated.
"Transporting a stone of this size over such a long distance would have required planning, coordination and a deep understanding of the landscape - not to mention tremendous determination," Dr Clarke said.
"The study demonstrates how combining geological analysis with computer modelling can help resolve long-standing questions about how Stonehenge was built."
Future research will aim to pinpoint the Altar Stone's exact source in northeast Scotland and further investigate possible transport routes used by prehistoric communities.
The research was conducted in collaboration with experts from Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield, Wessex Archaeology, and the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.
The study, 'From Highlands to Henge: Refining the Provenance and Transport Pathways of Stonehenge's Altar Stone' (DOI:10.1002/jqs.70080), was published in the Journal of Quaternary Science.
