Decoding the Stones: Spectroscopic Techniques and the Secrets of Stonehenge

Imagine a windswept plain in Wiltshire, England. You can probably picture beautiful scenery, something picturesque in the English countryside. Now imagine this windswept plain contains a ring of massive standing stones built over several phases starting around 3000 BCE. We don’t know for sure who built it and why, or even where these stones come from.

That is the story of Stonehenge, one of the most popular tourist attractions in England.

For most of history, Stonehenge was a huge mystery to archaeologists, cultural scientists, and the general public. And finding out the answers to our most pressing questions was difficult. After all, we can’t simply drill into a 5,000-year-old monument to take samples.

However, thanks to spectroscopy, this challenge is being overcome, and it is resulting in new scientific and archaeological discoveries. Over the past few decades, a revolution in portable and non-destructive analytical chemistry has changed what we know about Stonehenge's stones. Thanks to spectrometers, mass spectrometers, and lasers, researchers have been piecing together this geological detective story.

In the next episode of “Spectroscopy Around the Globe,” we’re going to follow that story, technique by technique, and see how spectroscopy became the key to unlocking Stonehenge's secrets.

Although I’ve been to England, I’ve never been to Stonehenge. Tourist feedback on Stonehenge has been, regrettably mixed, with some referring to it as overrated, but I’m hoping this episode will change your mind because Stonehenge is not just a bunch of rocks uniquely placed in the English countryside. There’s more to the site than you may think, and I hope this episode will help you appreciate just how unique Stonehenge truly is.

Understanding where all of these stones that comprise Stonehenge came from tells us something profound about the people who built this monument. It tells us how far they travelled, what they valued, and how they were connected to communities across the British Isles. Spectroscopy has been the tool that made those answers possible.

I am looking forward to sharing with you the story of Stonehenge in August.

References

1. Spectroscopy Staff, Using pXRF Analysis and Automated SEM-EDS To Study Stonehenge's Altar Stone. Spectroscopy Online, 2023. https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/using-pxrf-analysis-and-automated-sem-eds-to-study-stonehenge-s-altar-stone (accessed July 13, 2026).
2. Spectroscopy Online, Unraveling the Mysteries of Stonehenge: Portable Raman Spectroscopy Sheds Light on Altar Stone's Origins. Spectroscopy Online, 2024. https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/unraveling-the-mysteries-of-stonehenge-portable-raman-spectroscopy-sheds-light-on-altar-stone-s-origins (accessed July 13, 2026).