Stonehenge Inspired by Sound Illusion, Archaeologist Suggests | Archeology Mysteries & Archeoacoustics | LiveScience
The reason for Stonehenge's construction is unknown.
CREDIT: Albo, Shutterstock
Theories about the purpose of Stonehenge range from a secular calendar to a place of spiritual worship. Now, an archaeologist suggests that the Stonehenge monument in southern England may have been an attempt to mimic a sound-based illusion.
If two pipers were to play in a field, observers walking around the musicians would hear a strange effect, said Steven Waller, a doctoral researcher at Rock Art Acoustics USA, who specializes in the sound properties of ancient sites, or archaeoacoustics. At certain points, the sound waves produced by each player would cancel each other out, creating spots where the sound is dampened. [...]
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