Who built the mysterious Stonehenge, and why?

Summary

Who Smarted? - Episode Summary: "Who Built the Mysterious Stonehenge, and Why?"

Release Date: June 23, 2025

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Introduction

In this captivating episode of "Who Smarted?", host Trusty teams up with Dr. Cheryl Middleworth, a seasoned archaeologist, to unravel the mysteries surrounding one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments: Stonehenge. Set against the picturesque backdrop of the English countryside, their engaging conversation delves deep into the origins, construction, and purpose of Stonehenge, making complex archaeological concepts accessible and entertaining for young listeners.

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Encountering Stonehenge

The episode kicks off with Trusty stumbling upon Stonehenge while exploring the English countryside. His initial curiosity sets the stage for an educational adventure:

"It's a large circle of giant rectangular stones standing up on end with other giant stones lying flat on top of them. It certainly doesn't seem random. What do you think it is, smarty pants?" ([00:01])

Dr. Cheryl Middleworth promptly joins the conversation, offering her expertise:

"Dr. Cheryl Middleworth, archaeologist, at your service. I'm just doing a little research on this amazing monument." ([01:08])

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Understanding Stonehenge: Structure and Age

Trusty seeks to understand what Stonehenge is and its historical context. Dr. Middleworth provides a foundational explanation:

"A henge is a prehistoric monument made up of a circle of stone or wooden objects in a vertical or upright position." ([04:18])

She emphasizes the monument's antiquity:

"Try 5,000 years old. In fact, they started building Stonehenge about 500 years before the first pyramids in Egypt were built. Whoa. It's literally from the Stone Age." ([04:38])

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Who Built Stonehenge?

Addressing the age and builders of Stonehenge, Dr. Middleworth explains that multiple groups contributed to its construction over centuries:

"There were actually several groups of people who worked on Stonehenge over a thousand year period. The first group was known as the Windmill Hill People. Then came the Bell Beaker Culture, and finally the Wessex People. Each group added, removed, or moved around the giant stones." ([05:00])

Trusty's curiosity leads to the common misconception about the Druids:

"I heard that Stonehenge was built by the Druids in ancient times." ([05:37])

"Yes. The idea that the Druids built Stonehenge was a common belief... But the Druids actually lived centuries after Stonehenge was completed. So it's impossible they were behind it." ([06:29])

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The Massive Stones of Stonehenge

Dr. Middleworth provides an in-depth look at the construction materials:

"First, we have what we call the outer ring. A big circle of stones standing on end. These stones are called sarsens and are about 13ft tall and 7ft wide. They clock in around 25 tons, which means these babies weigh the same as four elephants each." ([06:43])

She details the structure, including the lintels and trilithons:

"Lying flat across the top of the vertical sarsens all the way around the circle are other sarsen stones called lintels. They're also super heavy, so it took some might to get them up there." ([07:30])

Trusty interjects with humor:

"Did you say trilithon? That sounds like a big number. Or a dinosaur. Right, smarty pants?" ([08:20])

Dr. Middleworth clarifies:

"A trilithon is... two sarsens topped by a lintel. It kind of looks like the symbol for the Greek letter PI." ([08:29])

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The Mystery of Stone Transport

One of the most intriguing aspects of Stonehenge is how these massive stones were transported. Dr. Middleworth discusses possible methods:

"The giant sarsen stones came from rock quarries 25 miles away... the blue stones... traced all the way to the Preseli Hills in Wales, which are 200 miles away. How they got all those stones here is a mystery." ([09:48])

Trusty proposes a hands-on experiment:

"That's why you were testing whether you could pull a stone on top of rolling logs." ([10:12])

Dr. Middleworth elaborates on transportation theories:

"They're all possibilities, and probably more likely than the legend that a magic wizard did it." ([10:25])

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Legends and Recent Discoveries

The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Trusty brings up ancient legends:

"According to an ancient legend, giants brought the Stonehenged stones... a certain king wanted the stones brought to England, so he sent 15,000 soldiers to get them." ([11:05])

While skeptical, Dr. Middleworth mentions recent archaeological findings that hint at possible truths behind the myths:

"Archaeologists recently discovered there was once a big circle of blue stones at a site called Wanmont in Wales. After 400 years, the Circle mysteriously disappeared at exactly the same time Stonehenge first appeared." ([11:56])

Trusty reflects on the blend of legend and reality:

"Just like Merlin, minus the magic." ([12:20])

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The Purpose of Stonehenge

Addressing the central question, Trusty asks why Stonehenge was built. Dr. Middleworth admits the mystery but shares prevailing theories:

"There's a lot of things about Stonehenge that we still don't know. However, we do have theories." ([15:37])

She outlines several theories:

1. Astronomical Calendar:

   "Stonehenge may have been a calendar based on the stars... on the longest day of the year, the Summer solstice, the sun rises over the heel stone." ([15:51])

2. Memorial and Spiritual Site:

   "It may have been a memorial used to worship and connect spiritually with distant ancestors... a place of healing because blue stones were once believed to cure illnesses." ([16:52])

3. Ceremonial Burial Ground:

   "The strongest theory is that it was a ceremonial burial ground. We found thousands of bones, and people were buried here over hundreds, if not thousands, of years." ([17:17])

Dr. Middleworth emphasizes that while these theories are compelling, the exact purpose remains elusive.

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Conclusion and Continuing Mysteries

The episode wraps up with a discussion on ongoing research and the significance of Stonehenge's surrounding stone circles:

"Stonehenge isn't the only stone circle in town. There are several other smaller ones... that were built in the same time period and are just as mysterious." ([17:54])

Trusty hints at future discoveries:

"One day unlock the mysteries of Stonehenge." ([18:15])

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Closing Remarks

The episode concludes with acknowledgments to contributors and production credits, ensuring listeners are aware of the collaborative effort behind "Who Smarted?".

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Key Takeaways

• Stonehenge's Structure: Comprised primarily of sarsen stones and lintels, some of which weigh as much as four elephants each.

• Historical Builders: Multiple groups over a millennium, including the Windmill Hill People, Bell Beaker Culture, and Wessex People, contributed to its construction.

• Transportation Mysteries: Stones were transported from up to 200 miles away, with theories ranging from rolling logs to coordinated group efforts.

• Purpose Theories: From astronomical calendars to ceremonial burial grounds, Stonehenge's exact purpose continues to intrigue archaeologists.

• Legends vs. Reality: While myths like Merlin's magic persist, recent archaeological findings hint at possible kernels of truth behind these stories.

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Notable Quotes

• "Stonehenge is in England. Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. England, to be exact." — Trusty ([00:43])

• "There were originally 80 sarsen stones, but today only 52 are left." — Dr. Cheryl Middleworth ([07:34])

• "How do we even go about trying to learn more?" — Trusty ([17:51])

• "We're talking problem solving, deductive reasoning, the whole nine yards." — Trusty, promoting Snoop and Sniffy ([03:00])

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Final Thoughts

This episode of "Who Smarted?" masterfully blends humor with educational content, making complex subjects like archaeology engaging for young minds. Through Trusty and Dr. Cheryl Middleworth's dynamic interaction, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for Stonehenge's historical significance and the enduring mysteries that surround it.

Transcript

[Trusty]

Hey, smarty pants. It's so funny running into you out here in the English countryside. I'm just backpacking through the fields looking for a scenic backdrop for my next selfie. Ooh, there's a cool looking spot up ahead. Let's head over there and. What the heck is that? What? I think it is. See if you can guess what it is, smarty pants. It's a large circle of giant rectangular stones standing up on end with other giant stones lying flat on top of them. It certainly doesn't seem random. What do you think it is, smarty pants? If I didn't know better, smartypants, I'd say we just happened upon the world famous monument known as Stonehenge.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Stonehenge?

[Trusty]

Tis a magic place where the moon doth rise with her dragon. I guess that would make sense. Stonehenge is in England. Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. England, to be exact. Uh, do you hear that, smarty pants? It's coming from right behind this enormous stone.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Oh, hi. Don't mind me.

[Trusty]

Oh, hi. I'm the trusty narrator. And you are?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Dr. Cheryl Middleworth, archaeologist, at your service. I'm just doing a little research on this amazing monument.

[Trusty]

Really? What kind of research involves pulling a gigantic stone across a bunch of logs?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

The kind that might finally help us understand how whoever built Stonehenge transported all these massive stones here. One guess is they pulled him on top of rolling logs like this. Of course, they probably had 100 people pulling at once, not just one. Lonesome archaeologists, I was gonna say.

[Trusty]

Here, let me help you with that. Dr. Middleworth, if you're an expert on Stonehenge, perhaps you can answer some questions for me and the smarty pants today.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Sure. What do you want to know?

[Trusty]

For starters, what is Stonehenge and. And who built it and when and for what purpose?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Hey, you're helping me. Least I can do is help you.

[Trusty]

Great. Get ready to rock and roll, smarty pants. Stonehenge. Tis imagined place where the moon doth rise with her dragons. It's time for another whiff of history and science. On who smarted. Who's smart? Smart. Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up, everyone. We make smarting lots of fun on who's smart and. Hey, smarty pants, you know how much we love sharing super cool facts here on who smarted, right? Well, I've got another super cool fact for you. The podcast Snoop and Sniffy is. Is absolutely awesome. Now get this. Snoop and Sniffy are these brilliant dog detectives who help kids like you level up Your sleuthing skills. We're talking problem solving, deductive reasoning, the whole nine yards. And they do it by going on the most hilarious crime solving adventures you've ever heard. One day they're meeting magic cockapoos. Magic cockapoos, Smarty pants. The next, they're rumbling with something called the Barking Bandit. They explore ghost trains. They time travel. I mean, there is never a dull mystery with these two furry detectives. So here's what I want you to do. Help everyone's favorite dog detectives crack their cases each week by listening to Snoop and Sniffy. You can find them on Apple, Spotify, @gokidgo.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Trust me on this one, smarty pants. Your brain is going to love the workout on Snoop and Sniffy. Okay, Smarty Pants, looks like we're on a Stonehenge fact finding adventure. My first question is, I know what stones are, and clearly Stonehenge is made of them. But what is a henge?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

A henge is a prehistoric monument made up of a circle of stone or wooden objects in a vertical or upright position.

[Trusty]

Ah, of course. Now you said prehistoric, which means Stonehenge must be pretty old. What are we talking here, Doc? 500 years old? 1,000? 2,000? More?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Try 5,000 years old. In fact, they started building Stonehenge about 500 years before the first pyramids in Egypt were built. Whoa. It's literally from the Stone Age.

[Trusty]

Oh, that is old. Now, when you say they started building Stonehenge, who exactly are they?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

That trusty narrator is a tricky question. You see, we experts believe there were actually several groups of people who worked on Stonehenge over a thousand year period. The first group was known as the Windmill Hill People. Then came the Bell Beaker Culture, and finally the Wessex People. Each group added, removed, or moved around the giant stones. But we're still not 100% sure who the original creators were.

[Trusty]

I heard that Stonehenge was built by the Druids in ancient times.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Hundreds of years before the dawn of history lived a strange race of people. The Druids.

[Trusty]

Who do you think the Druids were, smarty pants? Were they A, aliens from another planet, B, ancient religious leaders, or C highly intelligent giant insects? The answer is B ancient religious leaders.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Yes. The idea that the Druids built Stonehenge was a common belief for a wild, trusty narrator. But the Druids actually lived centuries after Stonehenge was completed. So it's impossible they were behind it.

[Trusty]

Well, whoever built it must have been pretty strong. Cause These stones are big and heavy.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Indeed they are. And there are a lot of them here. Walk with me, trusty. I'll give you a tour. First, we have what we call the outer ring. A big circle of stones standing on end. These stones are called sarsens and are about 13ft tall and 7ft wide. They clock in around 25 tons, which means these babies weigh the same as four elephants each.

[Trusty]

I believe it.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Lying flat across the top of the vertical sarsens all the way around the circle are other sarsen stones called lintels. They're also super heavy, so it took some might to get them up there.

[Trusty]

Hate to nitpick, Dr. Middleworth, but these sarsen stones don't make a full circle.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Right you are, trusty. There were originally 80 sarsen stones, but today only 52 are left.

[Trusty]

Where'd the missing stones go?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Most likely people took them over the years and used them to build other things like walls or roads. You must remember, it's only recently humans have cared about preserving ancient monuments. In the old days, folks didn't think twice about borrowing building materials from an abandoned place if they needed them for something.

[Trusty]

Makes sense, but it's also too bad.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

It certainly makes my work more challenging. Now we've reached the inner ring of stones.

[Trusty]

Ooh, it's shaped like a horseshoe.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Yep. And as you can see, the horseshoe shape is made up of five trilithons.

[Trusty]

Did you say trilithon? That sounds like a big number. Or a dinosaur. Right, smarty pants?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Yeah, but a trilithon is actually what we call a separate stage standalone set of two sarcens topped by a lintel. It kind of looks like the symbol for the Greek letter PI.

[Trusty]

Oh, or a pair of big stone pants. Oh, stoney pants.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

The middle trilithon would be the tallest structure in all of Stonehenge, about 23ft high, if the lintel and one of the sarsens hadn't fallen down hundreds of years ago. That's why they call it the Great Trilithon.

[Trusty]

Okay, so that covers all the giant stones. But what are all these smaller stones?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Those are blue stones.

[Trusty]

They don't look blue to me.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Not now. But they do look blue when they're wet. They weigh about five tons each.

[Trusty]

Yikes. That's the weight of two cars. Nothing here is light.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Nope. Unfortunately, a lot of blue stones are missing today. They used to be arranged in a circle outside the inner ring and in another circle inside the inner ring.

[Trusty]

Got it. But I gotta say, Doc, I'm confused. All I see around here are Fields. Where the heck did they find all these stones?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Great question. From what we can tell, the giant sarsen stones came from rock quarries 25 miles away. Those would have been hard enough to get here. But the blue stones, believe it or not, have been traced all the way to the Preseli Hills in Wales, which are 200 miles away. Whoa. How they got all those stones here is a mystery.

[Trusty]

Ah, so that's why you were testing whether you could pull a stone on top of rolling logs.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Yep, that's one way. They might have moved both kinds of stones here. But there are other theories.

[Trusty]

Hey, smarty pants, which of these other methods do you think might have been used to transport these massive stones? A, pulling them along tracks greased with animal fat? B, pulling them over balls placed in grooved wooden rails? Or C, by rolling them in giant wicker baskets? Believe it or not, the answer is all three.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

They're all possibilities, and probably more likely than the legend that a magic wizard did it.

[Trusty]

True. Wait, did you say wizard?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

According to an ancient legend, giants brought the Stonehenged stones from Africa to a mountain in Ireland, where they formed a big circle called the Giants Dance. However, a certain king wanted the stones brought to England, So he sent 15,000 soldiers to get them. Unfortunately, the soldiers weren't able to move the stones.

[Trusty]

Shocking.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Instead, they got the legendary wizard named Merlin to use magic to transport the stones so they could recreate the giant's dance as the Stonehenge we know today.

[Trusty]

No expert believes that story, right?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

No. But incredibly, it may have at least some truth to it.

[Trusty]

Really? How so?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Archaeologists recently discovered there was once a big circle of blue stones like these at a site called Wanmont in Wales. But after 400 years, the Circle mysteriously disappeared at exactly the same time the Stonehenge first appeared. Right here.

[Trusty]

Hold the phone. Are you saying they might have moved the circle of stones after all?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Just like Merlin, minus the magic.

[Trusty]

Hmm. However, they got all these stones here. Constructing Stonehenge was obviously no easy feat. Which raises the ultimate question, smartypants. Why is it here in the first place?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

I thought you'd never ask.

[Trusty]

The answer to the riddle is right after this quick break. Hey, friends. Trusty here now. You know the only thing I love more than adventure is not going on an adventure and hanging in my backyard eating pizza with Chet and the Woah girl.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Whoa.

[Trusty]

And there's something magical about finally making your space feel like yours. For me, it started with chairs. I used Wayfair to find the perfect chairs for my backyard. Stylish, affordable, and honestly way more comfortable than I expected. And that's the thing about Wayfair. It's not just a place to buy furniture. It's a one stop shop for creating the home that you've been dreaming about. Whether you're sprucing up your patio, planning backyard hangouts, or just upgrading your morning coffee spot, Wayfair has everything. Dining sets, lounge chairs, fire pits, string lights, you name it. Plus, the shopping experience is super easy. And they even have free shipping on the big stuff. So this summer, make your space your oasis. You and your family deserve your own little Paradise. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop a huge outdoor selection that's W A Y-F-A-I-R.com Wayfair Every style, every home. Hey, smarty friends. Trusty here. I grew up on the Smurfs Saturday mornings, cereal in hand, glued to the screen. So yeah, I cannot wait for this. Smurfs is back. And this time it's bigger, bolder, and bursting with magic. Blue magic. When Papa Smurf is taken by two seriously evil wizards, it's up to Smurfette, voiced by Rihanna, to lead the rescue mission into the real world. Along the way, the Smurfs discover that saving the universe means trusting something they've never relied on. Magic. The music. All new. Rihanna. Cardi B. DJ Khaled. Yes, please. And the cast is stacked. James Corden, Daniel Levy. Sandra oh. Octavia Spencer. Kurt Russell, John Goodman. Honestly, it's wild. It's got everything. Laughs, heart, music, and that classic Smurf spirit that I've loved forever. It's perfect for the whole family or anyone who remembers what it felt like to believe in a little blue world full of hope. Just like I did. Smurfs hits theaters July 18th. I'll be there. Hope you will, too. Now back to who Smarted stonehenge edition. Archaeologist Dr. Cheryl Middleworth is about to answer the big question about this mysterious monument. Why did whoever built Stonehenge build it? And the answer is, I don't know. What?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Sorry, Trusty. I told you. There's a lot of things about Stonehenge that we still don't know. And one of those is what its original purpose was. However, we do have theories.

[Trusty]

I'm listening.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Theory 1. It may have been a calendar based on the stars. You see, in addition to all those other stones we talked about, Stonehenge has four station stones located outside its outer ring. One of those is called the heel stone. And each year, on the longest day of the year, also known as the Summer solstice, something interesting happens just above the heel stone.

[Trusty]

What do you think happens, smarty pants? Does the sun rise? Does the moon double in size, or do stars disappear? If you said the sun rises, you're stone cold. Correct.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Not only that, on the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice, the sun sets over the heel stone. So those ancient peoples clearly knew something about the stars.

[Trusty]

I see. So what are the other theories?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Some believe it may have been a memorial used to worship and maybe even connect spiritually with distant ancestors. Or it could have been a destination for religious pilgrimages. Or it may have been thought of as a place of healing because blue stones were once believed to cure illnesses.

[Trusty]

In all of these theories, stone Stonehenge attracted people from all over, hoping to gain something from its magic powers.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Exactly. Which leads us to our strongest theory, which is that it was a ceremonial burial ground. We found thousands of bones, and we can tell people were buried here over hundreds, if not thousands of years. So that's one thing we know Stonehenge was used for. But whether that was the main thing or the only thing remains to be seen.

[Trusty]

How do we even go about trying to learn more?

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

Well, for one thing, Stonehenge isn't the only stone circle in town. There are several other smaller ones right in this part of town that were built in the same time period and are just as mysterious.

[Trusty]

Ooh. And if one of those circles happens to give you some clues, we may.

[Dr. Cheryl Middleworth]

One day unlock the mysteries of Stonehenge.

[Trusty]

A big shout out to smarty fan and fellow New Yorker Felix in Astoria, Queens. I hear who Smarted helps your brain learn and helps you relax before bedtime. Sounds like a win win. Or a win sleep situation. Thanks for smarting with us, Felix. This episode Stonehenge was written by Steve Mystery Melcher and voiced by Kim Druid Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Healstone Hahn, who Smarted is recorded and mixed at the Relic Room studios. Our associate producer is Monolithic Max Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Solstice Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Rox Davis, who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production.