Stonehenge is often hailed as a masterpiece of ancient engineering, but it is neither the oldest nor the largest megalithic site on Earth. Around the globe, other remarkable structures rival its grandeur, with some predating it by thousands of years. From Göbekli Tepe in Turkey to the Carnac Stones in France, these monuments showcase the ingenuity of early societies. This list, as reported by Live Science, explores seven awe-inspiring megaliths that rival the fame of Stonehenge.

1. Göbekli Tepe, Turkey

Dating back over 11,000 years, Göbekli Tepe predates Stonehenge by millennia. Situated in southeastern Turkey, this UNESCO World Heritage site consists of T-shaped pillars up to 18 feet tall. Intricate carvings of animals and abstract symbols adorn the pillars, hinting at its possible use for religious ceremonies or social gatherings. Built during the hunter-gatherer era, Göbekli Tepe challenges our understanding of early human achievements.

2. Avebury, England

Located near Stonehenge, Avebury boasts the largest known stone circle in the world, with a diameter of approximately 1,378 feet. Constructed around 2500 BCE, this Neolithic site also features two smaller inner circles and avenues of paired standing stones. Researchers believe Avebury was part of a broader ceremonial landscape tied to ancient communities practising agriculture, hunting, and gathering.

3. Ring of Brodgar, Scotland

This Neolithic henge on the Orkney Islands was built around 2500 BCE. Originally comprising 60 stones, 36 remain today, ranging in height from 6.9 to 15.4 feet. With a diameter of 341 feet, the stone circle is surrounded by 13 prehistoric burial mounds, suggesting it was a site for rituals honouring the dead.

4. Ale’s Stones, Sweden

Ale’s Stones, found near the fishing village of Kåseberga, consists of 59 boulders arranged in a ship-like formation. Estimated to be between 1,000 and 2,500 years old, the site remains a mystery. Some researchers speculate it was used as a solar calendar, while its exact purpose remains unclear.

5. Rujm el-Hiri, Golan Heights

This site, dating back around 6,000 years, features concentric stone circles with a central tumulus. Known as the “Wheel of Giants” or the “Levantine Stonehenge,” its function is debated. The tumulus may indicate its use as a burial site, potentially for significant figures of the era. While earlier theories proposed astronomical purposes, recent studies cast doubt on this idea.

6. Spanish Stonehenge, Spain

Submerged for decades by a human-made lake, the Dolmen of Guadalperal emerges during droughts. Dating back 7,000 years, this structure includes around 150 standing stones arranged around a central oval area. Engravings on a large entrance stone depict a human figure alongside what might be a river or snake.

7. Carnac Stones, France

Located in Brittany, the Carnac stones are approximately 6,000 years old. This vast collection of about 3,000 stones includes rows, circles, and isolated menhirs, some reaching 21 feet in height. While some stones appear to mark graves, the rituals performed here over millennia remain shrouded in mystery.

They highlight the incredible diversity of megalithic sites worldwide, underscoring humanity’s enduring fascination with monumental stone structures. Each site reflects the ingenuity, cultural significance, and ritual practices of the ancient societies that built them.

Buried landforms from a massive ice sheet that existed approximately 1 million years ago have been uncovered deep beneath the North Sea. These findings, revealed through high-resolution imaging, depict large-scale structures formed during the mid-Pleistocene transition (MPT). Researchers have stated that the ice sheet, which extended from present-day Norway to the British Isles, left behind significant imprints before retreating. The discoveries are helping scientists understand historical glacial dynamics and their relation to shifting climatic patterns.

Revelations from High-Resolution Imaging

According to a study published in Science Advances, these landforms were detected using sound wave data. Christine Batchelor, a senior lecturer in physical geography at Newcastle University, explained to Live Science that the findings suggest the presence of one expansive ice sheet during this period, challenging earlier assumptions about multiple smaller ice sheets shaping the region. The evidence was found under 1 kilometre of sediment, with distinct patterns on the seabed indicating how the ice sheet advanced and retreated.

Key Landform Patterns Identified

Grounded ice sheets are known to sculpt the underlying sediment during their movements, producing erosional and depositional features. Batchelor detailed that streamlined features aligned with ice flow direction were formed during the ice’s advance. Meanwhile, transverse imprints, including crevasse-squeeze ridges, were left during its retreat. These features occur when soft sediment is pushed into cracks at the ice base before the sheet lifts off, aided by water undercutting.

Implications for Climate Change Research

The mid-Pleistocene transition is considered a pivotal time in Earth’s glacial history, marked by more intense and prolonged glacial periods. The study provides clues about how ice sheets respond to climate shifts. Researchers aim to use these findings to model historical ice sheet behaviours and draw parallels with current environmental feedback mechanisms, offering insights into the processes influencing today’s climate systems.