Top Ten Archaeology Stories of 2007

2. Stonehenge Settlement Found: Builders' Homes, "Cult Houses" (January 30, 2007)
A major prehistoric village unearthed near Stonehenge likely housed the builders of the famous monument, archaeologists say, and was an important ceremonial site.

Archaeologists' trenches reveal clay floors of Late Stone Age houses at Durrington Walls, occupied by the builders of Stonehenge.

The trench at upper right cuts across the remains of an avenue, composed of flint, broken bones, and pottery pieces. Some archaeologists theorize that people at Durrington used the road to travel to the nearby River Avon to deposit remains of their dead in the waters. The river connects Durrington to Stonehenge, which has a similar avenue linking it to the Avon.

Photograph by Adam Stanford/Aerial-Cam for National Geographic