Were ancient “raves” held at Stonehenge?
Using cutting-edge technology, Rupert Till, an expert in acoustics and music technology at Huddersfield University in northern England, discovered that Stonehenge’s megaliths reflect sound perfectly, making the stone circle an ideal setting for listening to repetitive trance rhythms.
Who knew?
Watson’s research strongly suggested that the monument’s builders knew how to direct the movement of sound. Indeed, the stones at Stonehenge amplify higher-frequency sounds, such as the human voice, while lower-frequency sounds such as drums pass around the stones and can be heard for some distance.
The effect would have been a “dynamic multisensory experiences,” according to Watson.
“An audience outside the monument could not have clearly seen or heard events within, perhaps creating a sense of mystery. In contrast, an audience occupying the confined interior of Stonehenge would have heard amplified sounds,” Watson wrote on his Web site.
