Archaeologists say timber monument near Stonehenge may have been an early prototype

Archaeologists in Wiltshire say they have uncovered a prehistoric timber monument near Stonehenge that may have acted as an early model for the famous stone circle.

The site is at Bulford, about 3.1 miles, or 5 kilometers, from Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain. Researchers say it dates to around 2950 BC, roughly 500 years before Stonehenge’s later stone phase.

The excavation was led by Phil Harding of Wessex Archaeology and was carried out in connection with work supporting a Ministry of Defence housing or basing project. The discovery was made in earlier fieldwork and interpreted later through posthole analysis, radiocarbon dating and skyscape reconstruction.

What was found

Researchers say the monument was defined by two wooden posts that once stood about 120 meters apart. The alignment appears to match the summer solstice sunrise and the winter solstice sunset, which has led archaeologists to describe it as a possible prototype for Stonehenge.

The site also produced pottery, animal bones, charcoal and a rare disc-shaped flint knife. AP described the structure as a prehistoric timber monument, while other reports emphasized its place in a wider ritual landscape around Stonehenge.

The dating is central to the claim. Most of the reporting places the monument at about 2950 BC, making it older than Stonehenge’s main megalithic circle and potentially one of the earliest known solstice-aligned ceremonial settings in the area.

Why archaeologists think it matters

The find strengthens the case that ritual activity and solar alignment on Salisbury Plain began before Stonehenge took its familiar stone form. It also adds to the wider picture of the Stonehenge landscape, which already includes other prehistoric ceremonial sites such as Woodhenge and Durrington Walls.

Specialists cited in the reporting, including skyscape archaeologist Fabio Silva, said the alignment appears to be deliberate. Wessex Archaeology’s Matt Leivers and Phil Harding have framed the site as a significant clue to how people in the region may have organized monuments around the sun.

The interpretation is suggestive rather than definitive. Archaeologists are not claiming the Bulford timber monument directly evolved into Stonehenge, only that it may represent an earlier expression of the same tradition of monument building and solar alignment.

What comes next

The next step is the formal publication or technical report behind the announcement, which would clarify the full site plan, the dating evidence and how the team distinguished the postholes from later cuts in the soil record.

Further reporting may also show whether English Heritage, the Ministry of Defence or other heritage bodies endorse the “prototype” framing, or prefer a more cautious description of the monument as an early solstice-aligned site.

Researchers are also expected to refine the chronology with any additional radiocarbon dates and specialist analysis of the artifacts and animal remains. For now, the Bulford discovery adds a new piece to the long-running archaeological story of Stonehenge and the ritual landscape around it.