Thousands of people attended the sunrise at the British archaeological site Stonehenge on Saturday to celebrate the pagan festival of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.
Some 4,500 druids in folk costumes, shamans and other curious people applauded the arrival of day on the Neolithic complex in the southwest of England, perpetuating an age-old tradition despite the absence of the sun hidden in the mist.
On the occasion of the solstice, visitors are exceptionally allowed to touch the stones of the site, one of the most important in the world for its size, its sophisticated plan and its architectural precision.
“Stonehenge was built to align with the sun during the solstices,” Heather Sebire of the English Heritage organization told AFP.
The winter one was, according to her, undoubtedly the more important of the two. For the farmers who lived near the site, it symbolized the start of the new year and a lengthening of the days, which was celebrated with a great festival.
“It's a time of renewal, of rebirth, we're entering the new year and we're also reflecting on what's happened in the past year,” said Chris Smith, a 31-year-old civil servant.
According to English Heritage, which runs the site, almost 100,000 people from around the world watched the event live online.
| © AFP Thousands of people celebrate the pagan festival of the winter solstice on December 21, 2024 at the English site of Stonehenge |
Sources of wonder for nearly 5,000 years, the megaliths arranged in a circle which characterize Stonehenge were attributed by Arthurian legend to the magician Merlin who, in the Middle Ages, is said to have stolen the monument in Ireland.
The monument has not yet finished revealing all its secrets: this summer, a study revealed that a six-ton stone slab located in the heart of the complex had been brought from the north-east of Scotland, at the end of a journey of at least 750 kilometers.
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