Was Stonehenge a burial site, a calendar, or a place of ritual?
You may have thought experts had discovered everything about mysterious Stonehenge. Oh, how wrong they were! Stonehenge still has secrets to reveal.
Two upcoming events showcase the new discoveries being made at the iconic site of Stonehenge and shine a spotlight on how accepted views are being challenged. Michael Parker-Pearson, “Mr. Stonehenge,” comes to Houston for two nights only to present the exciting results of his research. As a professor at the University College of London and head of the Stonehenge Riverside Project, Prof. Parker-Pearson has been intimately involved in every aspect of work at Stonehenge. Houston audiences have a unique opportunity to hear the leading expert on Stonehenge whose research results have revolutionized our understanding of Stonehenge and have made a major contribution to knowledge of the Neolithic.
FILM SCREENING
Stonehenge–Bringing Back the Dead, Wednesday April 6, 2016
Though archeologists have known there were human remains under Stonehenge for around 100 years, no one thought much about them at first. That all changed in 2013, when researchers discovered the remains of individuals buried under and around the stone ring. Artifacts discovered near the cremated bone fragments suggest these people were high status individuals in ancient society. Basically, they were “capital-b” bigwigs, the one-percenters of the day.
Centuries before the first massive sarsen stone was hauled into place at Stonehenge, the world’s most famous prehistoric monument may have begun life as a giant burial ground. This documentary follows the pioneering scientific analysis of Prof. Mike Parker Pearson and his team as they examine and analyze, for the first time, more than 50,000 cremated bone fragments of 63 individuals. Finally, through this analysis, the remains of the cremated and buried people begin to tell their story. Accepted views are challenged about why Stonehenge was built. The star of the film, Prof. Parker-Pearson will be present on Wednesday night to introduce the screening and will moderate a discussion session following the screening.
LECTURE
Solving Stonehenge: New Discoveries, Thursday, April 7, 2016
The news about Stonehenge just keeps coming as stories regarding astonishing discoveries over the last year have demonstrated. Prof. Parker-Pearson brings the audience up to date on the latest research in this exclusive, one-night-only event sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America. A media personality, Parker Pearson has appeared several times in the BBC show Time Team. He also appeared in the National Geographic Channel documentary Stonehenge Decoded, along with the PBS program “NOVA: Secrets of Stonehenge
Join us to discover more at the Museum of Natural Science. Get your tickets now!
ADMISSION: $18, general and $12 – members of HMNS and AIA-Houston
WHERE: Houston Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Drive
BUY TICKETS: By phone at 713.639.4629 or at HMNS Box Office on the night of the event
LEARN MORE: Website and Facebook
These events are generously sponsored by Apache
Presented by the Archaeological Institute of America, Cosponsored by the Houston Museum of Natural Science
Archaeology Now 