A team from the University of Salford have collaborated with experts from English Heritage to create a scale model of Stonehenge in order to fully understand the acoustic properties of the ancient monument.
To construct the model at 1/12th scale, the stones were made using 3D printer technology to ensure accuracy as well as specialised moulding techniques. Silicon moulds were then made and these moulds were used to cast the stones, which were made out of plaster that was mixed with a polymer. They were then spray painted grey to match the colour of the real stones.
The model stone circle is 7.5 feet or 2.3 metres wide and is the best, most accurate reconstruction of Stonehenge ever made, thanks to the use of laser scan data, but it was the acoustic properties of a completed Stonehenge that the experts were most interested to explore.
The experiment was a success and the team now believe they have a greater understanding of the acoustic environment of Stonehenge when it was apparently completed around 2,200 BC. It acted like an enclosed room, as opposed to an outside space, reinforcing, speech, singing and chanting. Watch the video now to learn more.
All images are taken from Google Images for educational purposes only.