# Where did the sarsens come from? · Stonehenge > Three answers have been proposed. Fifty of the 52 surviving sarsens share one chemistry, matched to West Woods near Marlborough; the other two… leads… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/questions/QST0CRWPGAG7M10/where-did-the-sarsens-come-from Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T14:44:30+00:00 --- **0** # Where did the sarsens come from? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: fifty of the 52 surviving sarsens share one chemistry, matched to West Woods near Marlborough; the other two…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. Fifty of the 52 surviving sarsens share one chemistry, matched to West Woods near Marlborough; the other two… leads, with evidence 2 for, 1 against: supported by its tests. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters The sarsens are the monument's largest stones, up to 30 tonnes; one source 25 km away implies a single planned haul, several sources a gathering from across Wessex⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP0PG5WHP/origins-of-the-sarsen-megaliths-at-stonehenge)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP5AY0J0G/stonehenge-revisited-a-geochemical-approach-to-interpreting). ## Answers 3 [**Fifty of the 52 surviving sarsens share one chemistry, matched to West Woods near Marlborough; the other two…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/answers/ANS0CRWPY7T3FXF/fifty-of-the-52-surviving-sarsens-share-one-chemistry) Supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for, 1 against Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/answers/ANS0CRWQ06A0HCB/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**The megaliths came from several sources across Wessex, not one wood.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stonehenge/answers/ANS0CRWPZ7279K6/the-megaliths-came-from-several-sources-across-wessex-not) Tested, but the results don't decide it Evidence: 2 for, 1 against Disputed ## History 1. 2020[Nash et al. puts forward: fifty of the 52 surviving sarsens share one chemistry, matched to West Woods near Marlborough; the other two…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP0PG5WHP/origins-of-the-sarsen-megaliths-at-stonehenge) 1. 2020[Nash et al.: portable XRF puts 50 of 52 sarsens in one chemical group; the Stone 58 core's trace elements match West Woods…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP0PG5WHP/origins-of-the-sarsen-megaliths-at-stonehenge)For: Fifty of the 52 surviving sarsens share one chemistry, matched to West Woods near Marlborough; the other two… 1. 2020[Nash et al.: fifty of the 52 surviving megaliths fall in one chemical group.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP0PG5WHP/origins-of-the-sarsen-megaliths-at-stonehenge)Against: The megaliths came from several sources across Wessex, not one wood. 1. 2024[Hancock et al. puts forward: the megaliths came from several sources across Wessex, not one wood.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP5AY0J0G/stonehenge-revisited-a-geochemical-approach-to-interpreting) 1. 2024[Hancock et al.: read by their geochemistry, the Stone 58 data cannot exclude three to six sources.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP5AY0J0G/stonehenge-revisited-a-geochemical-approach-to-interpreting)Against: Fifty of the 52 surviving sarsens share one chemistry, matched to West Woods near Marlborough; the other two… 1. 2024[Ciborowski et al.: sarsen debitage at the site falls in at least three further geochemical families, traced to the Marlborough…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP62C736F/local-and-exotic-sources-of-sarsen-debitage-at-stonehenge)For: The megaliths came from several sources across Wessex, not one wood. 1. 2025[Nash & Ciborowski: the reanalysis's use of absolute concentrations and mobile elements is unsuited to silcrete.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP5JR1DJC/comment-on-stonehenge-revisited-a-geochemical-approach-to)For: Fifty of the 52 surviving sarsens share one chemistry, matched to West Woods near Marlborough; the other two… 1. 2025[Hancock et al.: no definitive geochemical match for Stone 58 can be argued from the available data.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CRWP5TJ66MP/on-sourcing-stonehenge-sarsen-stone-58-a-response-to-nash)For: The megaliths came from several sources across Wessex, not one wood. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/stonehenge/questions/QST0CRWPGAG7M10/where-did-the-sarsens-come-from%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/stonehenge/questions/QST0CRWPGAG7M10/where-did-the-sarsens-come-from%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/stonehenge/questions/QST0CRWPGAG7M10/where-did-the-sarsens-come-from%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/stonehenge/questions/QST0CRWPGAG7M10/where-did-the-sarsens-come-from%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/stonehenge/questions/QST0CRWPGAG7M10/where-did-the-sarsens-come-from%23add-source) Where it fits Stonehenge **Where did the sarsens come from?** Key question · you're here [ Ask a question under this one ]