AMSTERDAM: Archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old sanctuary made up of ditches and burial mounds in the central Netherlands that they believe may have served a similar purpose to Stonehenge.

Like the famous stone circle in southern England, the sanctuary — which was as big as at least three soccer fields and built with soil and wood — was built to align with the sun on the solstices.

The archaeologists also discovered offerings, including animal skeletons, human skulls and valuable items such as a bronze spearhead, at the spots where the sun shone through the openings, according to a statement from the municipality of Tiel, a town around 70 km east of Rotterdam where the site was excavated.

“The largest mound served as a sun calendar, similar to the famous stones of Stonehenge in England,” said the statement.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2023