Stonehenge - an ancient Lourdes?

[sillydoll]

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/09/2 ... aling.html

The first excavation of Stonehenge in more than 40 years has uncovered evidence that the stone circle drew ailing pilgrims from around Europe for what they believed to be its healing properties, archaeologists said Monday.
Archaeologists Geoffrey Wainwright and Timothy Darvill said the content of graves scattered around the monument and the ancient chipping of its rocks to produce amulets indicated that Stonehenge was the primeval equivalent of Lourdes, the French shrine venerated for its supposed ability to cure the sick.
An unusual number of skeletons recovered from the area showed signs of serious disease or injury. Analysis of their teeth showed that about half were from outside the Stonehenge area.
"People were in a state of distress, if I can put it as politely as that, when they came to the Stonehenge monument," Darvill told journalists assembled at London's Society of Antiquaries.

 

[rafferty]

This story has been largely discredited.For instance the so called amulets are nothing more than stone chippings caused by dressing the stones prior to the erection of the structure.According to other archeologists the skeletons don't prove any significance of a "holy/healing centre".They say that although some of the skeleton remains show disease this is not unusual for any burial site of the time.
It seems that there are a never ending list of potential reasons for the existence of Stonehenge.