The Acoustics of Stonehenge

摘要

Stonehenge is the largest and most complex ancient stone circle known to mankind. In its original form, the concentric shape of stone rings would have surrounded an individual both visually and aurally. It is an outdoor space and most archaeological evidence suggests it did not have a roof. However, its large, semi-enclosed structure, with many reflecting surfaces, would have reflected and diffracted sound within the space creating an unusual acoustic field for the Neolithic Man. This article reports on research that is being undertaken to unravel the acoustic response of Stonehenge. As the monument is in ruins, a concrete replica has been used as a full size model for the acoustic measurements. The following questions have guided our research efforts: 1. Would the peculiar shape of Stonehenge exhibit strange acoustic effects?