The World of Stonehenge

Today The British Museum launched a new exhibition, The World of Stonehenge. It's a breath-taking experience which takes you through the very earliest points of human history and unveils a richer, more complex and more sophisticated world than many of us might ever have thought.

We all know Stonehenge, it’s a monument of global significance and justifiably recognised as one of the wonders of the world. Throughout time it’s been shrouded in mystery, often provoking more questions than answers.

The World of Stonehenge unravels some of those mysteries with beautifully curated exhibits which show what life was like over 5000 years ago. There are fabulous objects like the Nebra Sky Disc – the world’s oldest map of the stars – and the Gleninsheen Great Gold Collar which so clearly show the sophistication and skill of people during that age.

The famous Seahenge, discovered in 1998 on Holme Beach in Norfolk is another incredible work, uncovered by tides and shifting sands that were salt marshes thousands of years ago. It too, showcases the skills of early communities – possibly farmers – and their commitment to building a monument that was significant in their daily lives.

My mind turns to other objects, beautifully crafted yet work-like axes and other everyday objects like a simple chalk ball, buried with a young child or the Burton Agnes Drum interred together with three children. These all resonate emotionally and you get a very clear sense that they meant something – quite definitely more than we can perceive today – to these young children and their families.

If you get the chance to visit this amazing exhibition, then grab it. You can also visit the permanent collection galleries, each of which help to tell the story of the world.