Archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old sanctuary of moats and burial sites in central Holland and believe it may have served a similar purpose to Stonehenge – announce CNN.
Like the famous stone blocks of southern England, the keep in Holland is built to align with the sun at the solstice.
Archaeologists have also discovered victims, including animal skeletons, human skulls and valuables, according to a statement from the municipality of Tiel.
According to archaeologists, the sanctuary must have been a very important place where people would keep track of special days of the year, perform ceremonies and bury their dead. Poles stood along the avenues used for processions. During the excavation of the site, archaeologists discovered several graves, one of which, for example, belonged to a woman from earlier Mesopotamia who was buried with glass beads. It turned out to be the oldest pearl ever found in Holland.
Some of the finds are on display in Teal at a local museum and at the Dutch National Museum of Archaeology.
