Neolithic builders hauled 25-ton stones 18 km to erect Britain’s tallest stone row
Archaeologists have proved that the massive stones of the Devil’s Arrows were sourced from Brimham Rocks, about 18 km away, rather than the nearer Plumpton Rocks.
Scientists have identified Brimham Rocks, located roughly 18 km from the Devil’s Arrows site in northern England, as the source of the monument’s three towering stones, each weighing more than 25 tonnes. This overturns prior theories that the nearest outcrop, Plumpton Rocks, supplied the material. By applying a non-destructive tape-sampling technique, the team extracted minute mineral grains and compared their geochemical signatures to known quarry sites, confirming the distant origin.
The research, appearing in Proceedings of the Royal Society A, argues that the choice of stone was driven by cultural significance rather than logistical convenience. The study highlights the extraordinary coordination required to transport and erect such massive stones during the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, around 2000 BC. Lead authors Anthony Clarke and Jim Leary say the method could be used to trace the provenance of other enigmatic standing stones across Britain. Their work deepens understanding of how ancient societies shaped their landscapes to reflect shared beliefs.
