Stonehenge mystery deepens as altar traced to Scotland

The sun rises at Stonehenge, near Amesbury, in Wiltshire, southern England during the recent Summer Solstice festival, which dates back thousands of years, celebrating the longest day of the year when the sun is at its maximum elevation. Photo: AFP

A central stone of the famous Stonehenge monument in southwest England came from 750km away in northeast Scotland, surprised scientists said recently, solving one mystery but raising another: how did its prehistoric builders move the huge slab so far?

The Neolithic circle of giant stones has been a source of wonder and mystery for nearly 5,000 years – in the Middle Ages, the wizard Merlin of Arthurian legend was said to have stolen the monument from Ireland.