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Stonehenge lintel holes

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VenerableBottyBurp V
VenerableBottyBurp Dec 20, 2006 17:38:54
Replying to Littlestone

Evidently the M&T joints were important, not just to the longevity of the structure but to do what M&T joints are intended to do - pull and set the pieces together during construction. The stones were of differing length and whilst to a certain extent this could be taken into account in the ground, the heights would invariably end up different through compaction, you would not be able probably to reset the bigger stones so in order to get them to accept a lintel the tops of the uprights would have to be paired down. Shaping them then ensured the uprights would be pulled into position.

I think...

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N nigelswift
nigelswift Dec 20, 2006 18:17:48
Replying to VenerableBottyBurp

Evidently the M&T joints were important, not just to the longevity of the structure but to do what M&T joints are intended to do - pull and set the pieces together during construction.

I reckon so.
And what they created in the outer circle was a load of uprights all connected with a ring beam. It enables any local strain to be redistributed and shared right round the circle. If one upright wanted to fall down, the others wouldn't let it.