Join us for a lecture exploring the origins of the giant sarsen stones used to build Stonehenge – one of Britain’s most iconic monuments.

David Nash is Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Brighton. His research centres around the formation of the duricrust silcrete (or sarsen as we call it in the UK) and its use for stone toolmaking and monument-building by prehistoric peoples. In this lecture, Prof. Nash discusses his ongoing work on the origins of the giant sarsen stones used to build one of our greatest monuments, Stonehenge. The talk will cover:

(i) The development of the method used to identify the location from which silcrete was obtained in prehistory

(ii) The chance discovery that allowed its application at Stonehenge, and

(iii) Why West Woods in Wiltshire is the most likely source for the giant sarsens.

En route, Prof. Nash will also discuss his research on palaeoenvironments from the Kalahari to the UK.

This talk is co-hosted by the KCL Department of Geography’s new Palaeoenvironments Research Centre (PARC) and the King’s Climate Research Hub. It marks the first public event involving PARC, which brings together researchers exploring past environments and their relationship with human societies. The Centre’s work spans themes including climate change and societal impacts, human dispersals, adaptation, and the development of past landscapes. The talk will be followed by a drinks reception.