A new reconstruction of a 4,500-year-old Neolithic building near Stonehenge has been unveiled, offering a glimpse into prehistoric life.
Standing seven metres tall, the Kusuma Neolithic Hall draws its design from archaeological evidence of a substantial prehistoric structure found just two miles from the iconic stone circle.
English Heritage volunteers meticulously constructed the hall, employing historically authentic methods and utilising locally sourced materials.
The £1 million initiative, backed by the Kusuma Trust, is nearing completion and is set to welcome visitors this summer.
From autumn, it will serve as an educational hub, allowing schoolchildren to explore what daily existence was like four and a half millennia ago.
It is unclear what the original structure that was found near the prehistoric settlement Durrington Walls was used for.
Excavations of the settlement have found many thousands of animal bones and a vast quantity of Grooved ware pottery, which provide strong evidence for vast winter feasts.
This suggests the hall may have been a space for large gatherings and celebrations, rituals or even burial practices.
Matt Thompson, from English Heritage, said: “The Kusuma Neolithic Hall is such an exciting project for the charity, and we are hugely grateful to the Kusuma Trust for the generous donation that made it possible.
“Not only is the hall a wonderful addition to the Stonehenge experience for both visitors and learners but, by using historically accurate techniques and materials in its construction, we have also been able to develop a much keener understanding of the everyday lives of the Neolithic people who came to Stonehenge and settled in the locality.
“As a charity, one of our main purposes is to provide everyone with memorable learning experiences and the Kusuma Neolithic Hall will transform our ability to do that.
“With its burning hearth, Neolithic crafts and cookery, the hall is a model for living history – instantaneously transporting you back 4,500 years.
“This summer, visitors to Stonehenge will also have the chance to experience the hall and speak to some of our wonderful volunteers who built it, before it is opened up to educational groups for the new school year.”
