Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/214

 156 ON THE " BELGIC DITCHES, ETC. we are accordingly able to account for "the respectable workmanship," which Rickman observed at Stonehenge, and which certainly presents difficulties in the way of the hypothesis, that assigns to Stonehenge the remote antiquity sometimes given to it. Again, our geologists seem to be agreed, that the huge blocks of sandstone, which form the trilithons at Stonehenge, must have come from the neighbour- hood of the Vale of Pewsey. Now the amount of physical power equal to the transport of such large masses, would exhaust the whole resources of the district ; and we may safely conclude that the builders of Stonehenge, whoever they were, must also have been lords of the fertile vale, so celebrated in the annals of agriculture. If the Belgte were the builders, it follows necessarity that this temple was erected after the vale became Belgic territory'-, or as we may othervise phrase it, after the Wansdike had been raised. That Stonehenge had some peculiar relation to the Belgic pro^^nce, may be inferred from its central position within it. The capital towns of the Celtic races were often on the confines of their territories ; as Winchester and Ilchester, near the borders of the Belgje ; and Silchester near those of the Attrebates. The facilities which such positions afforded for the defence of the frontier, may have been the reasons why they were selected. But we may gather from the passage already quoted, relative to the Gaulish temple, that a central situation was thought most suitable for the " locus consecratus," where justice was administered, and the national assembhes held. That Stonehenge was such " locus consecratus " is admitted by all, who regard it as a Celtic structure ; and the enormous labour which was expended in transporting the materials to the spot, proves that the spot on which it stands was thought peculiarly eligible. I can point to no circumstances which could have made it so, save those which have been suggested. The peculiarities which distinguish the structure of Stone- henge, seem to afford us additional arguments in support of i the conclusions we have come to. Most of our Celtic temples are surrounded by a circular ditch. Now at Avebury, and in other cases, the mound or agger is on the outside of the • ditch, while at Stonehenge it is within it. This new arrange- ment seems to indicate the usages of a new people ; while the general style of the building, the more artistic plan, the