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1、巨石阵ThisisanancientmonumentofhugestonestandingonthevastSablisburyplainsinEnglandhascapturedourimaginationsforcenturies.It’sthemostenigmaticpre-historicmonumentonearth.古老的巨石阵屹立在英格兰索尔兹伯里平原上,数世纪以来,它的丰姿赋予了我们丰富的想象力。它是地球上最神秘的史前遗迹。WhatmakesthestructureatStonehengeuniqueisthefactthatf
2、orthefirsttimethey’reshapingstonesonamassivescale.Datingbackasfaras2950B.C.,theoriesaboutwhobuiltStonehengehaveincludedthedruidsandtheGreeks.Speculationastoitspurpose,rangefromastronomytoaUFOlandingsite.巨石阵是独一无二的,因为它是首次出现的最大规模的成形巨石。究竟是谁建造了巨石阵?这要追溯到公元前2950年,有两种说法:一种认为是特鲁伊特教的教徒
3、,另一种说法则认为是希腊人。有关巨石阵作用的推测也是众说纷纭,上至天文学意义,下至不明飞行体的降落点,尚无定论。Nowaruinwithmanyoftheoriginalstonesfallenorremoved,thissiteSunattractsnearlyfivethousandtouristseveryday.现在,尽管很多巨石已经倒塌,或给搬走,但是这古迹仍然每天吸引着近五千名观光游客。AroundthesametimeastheancientEgyptianswerebuildingthepyramids,thefirststone
4、sarrivedhereatStonehenge.ThemysteryofthisstoneisthattheyareonlyfoundintheBrescellyMountainsinsouthWales,nearly150milesaway.差不多就在古埃及人建造金字塔的时候,巨石阵的第一批石头被运达英格兰索尔兹伯里平原。巨石的神秘之处在于,它只能从南威尔士的普雷西山:脉取材,而那里位于150英里开外。ItwasahugejobtotransportthesestonesfromWales,becauseoriginallytherewere
5、about80ofthemhereatStonehengeweighinguptofourtonseach.Now,ifIgotmmycaritwouldtakemeaboutfivehourstodiveallthewaytoWales.Buttothosepeople,itwould’vebeenmenormousdistance.从威尔士搬运石材是个艰巨的工作,因为最初的巨石阵中约有80块巨石,每块重达4吨。现在如果从巨石阵开车去威尔士,全程需要大概5小时。可对于古人来说,这实在是条遥遥长路。Thestoneswerebroughtbybo
6、atfromthemountainsandpulledfromthecoastbysledgetothesite.巨石从大山里开采出来后,先用船只运抵海岸,然后再利用撬具从海岸运到现在的地址。Ithinkyouneedaminimumofabout150people,simplytomoveoneofthesemassiveforty-tonstones.仅仅是搬运这些重达四十吨的巨石,就需要大约150人。Gettingthestonestothesitewasanamazingfeat,butbuildingStonehengewasmuchm
7、orecomplex.Itisnotjustsimplyonestonepiledontotopofanother,they’rejoinedtogether,thisholeinthearchonherethat’sbeenpoundedoutusingstonehammers,andthatoriginallyfittedonthetopofthatstone.能把巨石运送到这里已是惊人之举,但建造巨石阵所花费的工夫更是复杂。因为巨石并不是简单地堆叠在一起,而是被巧妙地连接在一起:石块拱起部分的孔眼是用石锤开出来的,它原来刚好可以套住顶上另一
8、块巨石的石楦。Afternearly5,000yearsStonehengeisstillstanding.Wenowknowhowit
