This week's theory | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

S

Sanctuary Feb 17, 2012 09:14:54

Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/feb/16/stonehenge-based-magical-auditory-illusion

"If you have a sound source in the middle of Stonehenge, and you walk around the outside of the big stones, what you experience is alternating loud and soft, loud and soft, loud and soft as you alternately pass by the gaps and the stone, the gaps and the stone,"

No really. Amazing. That must be the reason why they built it like that.

Stonehenge. Always there for a slow news day.

Staggering and so simple...why didn't we all think of that :-)

T

tjj Feb 17, 2012 10:32:48

Replying to Rhiannon

I'm reminded of Paul Devereaux's Landscape-Perception project http://www.landscape-perception.com/archaeoacoustics/

Perhaps this is part of the same as I notice Timothy Darvill has commented. I agree with his view.

Timothy Darvill, professor of archaeology at Bournemouth University, said that while sound played an important role in events at Stonehenge, the monument was probably not designed with acoustics in mind.

"The main structure is a replica in stone of what was normally built in wood," he said. "They used the same techniques. The positioning of the main components is all about the construction of a framework, a building if you like, as the setting for ritual adventures that included the use of the bluestones brought over from Wales."

M

Moth Feb 17, 2012 17:10:27

Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:

No really. Amazing.

Hahahaha!!!!

Nice one, Rhiannon!

love

Moth

P

PMM Feb 17, 2012 21:38:45

Replying to Rhiannon

You can achieve the same effect at a fraction of the effort by alternating between having your hands over your ears, and not having your hands over your ears.

http://www.viz.co.uk/toptips.html

T

thesweetcheat Feb 17, 2012 21:45:07

Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:

"If you have a sound source in the middle of Stonehenge, and you walk around the outside of the big stones, what you experience is alternating loud and soft, loud and soft, loud and soft

Ideal for the Pixies then.

S

scubi63 Feb 17, 2012 23:38:03

Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:

"If you have a sound source in the middle of Stonehenge, and you walk around the outside of the big stones, what you experience is alternating loud and soft, loud and soft, loud and soft as you alternately pass by the gaps and the stone, the gaps and the stone,"

Are the sure it not actually soft and loud and soft and loud....actually, if you ran around it you would get sounds at different pitches depending how fast you went and the varying gaps would provide an effect similar to travelling in a car with the windows open..maybe there is a hidden message only heard at a particular speed?...or better still, maybe giant sails rolled around on top on the lintels from which the people could dangle down and be spun around instead of running and listen to the sounds emanating from the centre...or maybe they just ground corn with rollers attached to the sails instead. We all love a good theory..the possibilities are endless!!

:o)

M

moss Feb 18, 2012 09:24:43

Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:

No really. Amazing. That must be the reason why they built it like that.

Stonehenge. Always there for a slow news day.

16 million hits for Stonehenge on a casual check, always in the limelight, for better or worse. But it had other uses, I read the other day in White's History of Selborne that daws (jackdaws) nested in the interstices between the stones... Now there's a thought, carrion crow waiting for the latest victim to be sacrificed.
Only a theory of course.

T

Toni Torino Feb 20, 2012 13:25:14

Replying to Rhiannon

Rhiannon wrote:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/feb/16/stonehenge-based-magical-auditory-illusion

"If you have a sound source in the middle of Stonehenge, and you walk around the outside of the big stones, what you experience is alternating loud and soft, loud and soft, loud and soft as you alternately pass by the gaps and the stone, the gaps and the stone,"

No really. Amazing. That must be the reason why they built it like that.

Stonehenge. Always there for a slow news day.

Stonehenge is so obviously a giant alien zoetrope.