Danish archaeologists have unearthed a 4,000-year-old wooden circle that could be linked to Britain’s Stonehenge.
The remarkable discovery was made in the northwestern town of Aars during construction work on a housing estate.
Experts believe the ancient structure may reveal connections between Denmark and Britain’s neolithic peoples.
The find consists of 45 neolithic-era wooden pieces arranged in a circle with a diameter of about 30 metres.
Flowers grow around the stone circle at Stonehenge, Wiltshire
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The wooden elements form a slightly oval structure with the pieces positioned approximately two metres apart.
Archaeologists discovered the ancient formation during excavation work for a new housing development.
“It is a once in a lifetime find,” said Sidsel Wahlin, conservationist at the town’s Vesthimmerland museum.
She added that the circle “points to a strong connection with the British henge world.”
The discovery represents a rare opportunity for archaeologists to study ancient cultural connections between Denmark and Britain.
Archaeologists are now investigating whether the site contains an inner circle similar to Stonehenge’s famous concentric design.
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Wahlin noted that similar timber circles, believed to be connected to sun worship, have previously been found on the Danish island of Bornholm.
However, she emphasised that the Aars circle is “the first one of this larger type that we can properly investigate”.
The iconic Stonehenge stone circles in southern England are believed to have been erected between 3100 BC and 1600 BC.
By comparison, the Danish wooden circle is estimated to date from around 2000 BC.
Archaeologists began detailed work on Monday to definitively determine the structure’s age and function.
The timing suggests the structures could have been built during overlapping historical periods.
Flowers grow around the stone circle at Stonehenge, WiltshirePAPrior to the wooden circle discovery, archaeologists had already found an early Bronze Age settlement at the site dating from 1700-1500 BC.
The settlement included a chieftain’s grave and a bronze sword.
These earlier finds highlight the archaeological significance of the Aars location, which appears to have been an important site for ancient peoples.
The discovery came as a surprise to the archaeological team who were expecting something entirely different.
“When I and my colleague opened a new section of the excavation the expected house and some fence quickly turned out to be the entrance area of a very well planned, slightly oval structure,” Wahlin explained.
The unexpected nature of the find has added to its significance.
Archaeologists are now searching for “ritual deposits” such as flint arrowheads and daggers at the site.
The team has begun a major sampling exercise to uncover these artefacts.
These ritual items could provide crucial insights into the circle’s purpose and the ceremonies that may have taken place there thousands of years ago.