Carhenge vs Stonehenge
by Kenneth Lyen
I first heard about Carhenge while watching Curiosity Stream’s documentary on the Solar Eclipse. So, I immediately Wikipeed (sic) “Carhenge”.
Carhenge is an imitation of Britain’s Stonehenge, an idea first conceived by American Jim Reinders who was studying the structure of Stonehenge while he was living in England. On returning to America, he wanted to bring something of England back with him. So he built Carhenge as homage to Stonehenge, as well as being a memorial to his late father; it was dedicated during a family reunion at the June 1987 summer solstice.
Instead of using stone, it was built largely from real vintage cars. But there was also a pick-up truck and an ambulance. They were arranged in a 95-foot diameter circle, proportionately accurate mimicking Stonehenge. Some cars were held upright with either the front or the rear buried in five-foot-deep pits. Other cars were perched on top, forming the arches of the structure. All the cars were spray-painted with gray paint. A total of 39 vehicles were used.
Thus, Carhenge became a unique piece of outdoor sculpture located near Alliance, a city in the great plains of Nebraska. Initially the response to Carhenge was mixed, with some locals regarding as a vertical junkyard. In time, Carhenge has become a popular tourist attraction.
During the solar eclipse of 21 August 2017, Carhenge was a focal point for viewing the eclipse, Some 4,000 people, including the governor of Nebraska turned up for the viewing.
I remain somewhat amused by Carhenge. I see it as a form of satire, a humorous critique of our infatuation with cars, a bit of a joke. I also view Carhenge as a graveyard monument depicting our wastefulness exemplified by these cars. And of course, I see it as an indictment of our lamentable contribution to global warming, by burning fossil fuels.
As a replica of Stonehenge, Carhenge does not come close, but it compensates by being rather quirky. I wonder who would place Carhenge on their bucket list, rather than Stonehenge?
Stonehenge was built around 3,000 BC to 2,000 BC in Wiltshire, England. It consists of large stones arranged in a circle. Each stone weighs about 25 tons, and they use rocks quarried from Wales, 143 miles (230 km) away. How the stones were transported such a distance remains a mystery. It has been postulated that the stones were placed on huge wooden sledges and pulled along logs acting as roller wheels. Then they had to be raised from a horizontal to an upright position. Finally, some of the stones had to be lifted on top to form the arches. These challenges are difficult enough for modern technology, but incredible for the neolithic era!
What was the purpose of building Stonehenge? There are several theories. One suggestion is that it was a burial site, another is that it was a giant astronomical calendar, and the third is that it was a place of healing.
While it is still contentious whether the Druids built Stonehenge, modern-day Druids still hold annual summer solstice ceremonies there. Like Stonehenge, Carhenge is home to solstice celebrations and other ceremonies. What would modern-day Druids want to worship or commemorate at Carhenge?
Written by Kenneth Lyen
Updated 4 January 2020
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