Going back to the neanderthals, I see nothing that might indicate they made simple stone or wood structures in the form of circles or even solitary standing stones or 'posts'. If not in countries effected by ice, then elsewhere I think some kind of evidence might have cropped up.

I agree with you that this seemed to come later with then mankind had a greater control over his environment. Why that should be so, I have no idea, and it might be entirely coincidental, but I don't think so.