A Fife scientist has helped to uncover remarkable new images of Stonehenge with the remains of a “Super Henge” nearby.
The amazing discoveries will ensure “Stonehenge may never be the same again,” according to its British project leader, Professor Vincent Gaffney.
The mammoth project has revealed a host of previously undiscovered archaeological monuments, burial mounds and a huge ritual monument thought to the biggest of its kind anywhere in the world.
Involving scientists from across Europe, the digital mapping project has been led by Birmingham University in conjunction with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute.
One of the initiative’s partners is St Andrews University’s applied geophysicist Dr Richard Bates.
Hundreds of new feature have been uncovered, forming the most detailed archaeological digital map of the Stonehenge landscape ever produced.
The startling results of the survey include 17 previously unknown ritual monuments.
The project has also revealed exciting new and completely unexpected information on monuments.
Among the most significant relate to the Durrington Walls “super henge”.
This immense ritual monument, probably the largest of its type in the world, has a circumference of more than 1.5 kilometres.
Dr Bates’ study has provided a new model of this feature in one complete picture.
“It’s incredibly exciting watching these features emerge from the data as you survey and gradually build up the picture of the landscape in the field.
“This data is going to provide information for researchers to ponder over for years to come.”
He said what was also important were links between these sites and those in the very north of Scotland, around the world heritage sites of Orkney.
“The people clearly had very similar ideas about the landscape in which they lived.”
At other places on the site the new maps even show the practice trenches dug around Stonehenge to prepare troops for battle on the western front during the First World War.
Professor Gaffney said the project was unique at a global level.
“Not only has it revolutionised how archaeologists use new technologies to interpret the past, it has transformed how we understand Stonehenge and its landscape.
“New monuments have been revealed, as well as new types of monument that have previously never been seen by archaeologists.”
Operation Stonehenge: What Lies Beneath will be screen on BBC2 at 8pm on Thursday.