We started today with an explanation of the stake placement and construction methods of the buildings. The main focus was looking at the profiles of the stake holes found, how we could match the stake sizes to the originals and then making sure that we replicated these with the holes in the ground.
This was quite a time consuming task with teams looking at the stake hole evidence and trying to reproduce the points on the end of the stakes and others making the holes in the ground. At the same time we also had other teams practicing their weaving with hazel rods and some learning how to twist the hazel around the ends of posts.
Wendy twisting a hazel withy.
Twisted hazel around a post.
By the end of the day we had all of the stake holes in for building 547. This building is going to look very strange as we are using it to test various methods of construction. We are going to try different approaches in each quarter. This will inform us on practical construction methods for when we start at the new Stonehenge visitors centre.
Stakes in the ground for building 547.
Meanwhile, the chalk pounders have had a very productive day, gradually adding more material to the pile.
Stonehenge Neolithic Houses 
Thank you for documenting this!
I can only imagine that the learning process you are undergoing reflects the learning processes of hundreds of years (such a brief time in the greater scheme of things!) of our distant ancestors.
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