New stone moving theory

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GordonP G
GordonP Apr 2, 2006 11:49:14
Replying to nigelswift

Hi Nigel
Of course I accept the fact that dragging becomes easier as the size of the workforce increases.

The question is: What size of workforce did the Neolithic people who built Stonehenge have available?

The population of the whole of Britain at that time is estimated to have been in the region of perhaps 300,000. Furthermore these people were spread thinly from Lands End to John O Groats and beyond. The only form of transport was walking.

In the international version of Foamhenge the production company included some footage of the natives on the island of West Sumba in Indonesia dragging a large stone. (Perhaps 15 to 20 tons)We were informed that 600 people took part. During the whole of one day this stone was dragged just 100 yards. Watching the piece of film they seemed to be moving this stone at quite a pace, almost running. Yet at the end of the day they had succeeded in moving it only 100 yards.

Until someone demonstrates that a forty-ton stone can be dragged for a credible distance using a workforce estimated to have been available to the builders of Stonehenge. I will continue my research. And by demonstrate I don't mean dragging a stone for twenty minutes and then multiplying distance covered by the time available.

N nigelswift
nigelswift Apr 2, 2006 12:13:22
Replying to GordonP

"The question is: What size of workforce did the Neolithic people who built Stonehenge have available?"
Yes, of course. That's my point really. The smaller the workforce the more appropriate stonerowing is. But the reverse seems to apply as well and I'm unconvinced that any small figure given for the "workforce estimated to have been available to the builders of Stonehenge" is based on much evidence. It depends if it's a local job or a regional one, plain and simple. Large numbers of people got together to construct super henges and Silbury clearly. Which is why I rather like the idea of stonerowing being more likely in the case of small "family projects" like tombs maybe.

As for the Indonesian demo, I wonder if they just didn't have it right. From what I could see at Foamhenge your dragging method was far more efficient than that and if you'd had 600 people they'd have shifted the stone at a canter. And that was uphill. Watching it, i remember thinking that on the level with a lot more people you'd have needed no rollers or lubrication and would still have gone at a heck of a speed.