ABSTRACT
Studies of megalithic monuments in Western Europe have frequently remarked upon the varied sources of the stones used to build these structures. In the majority of cases, it is true, the materials were obtained within the local area, either from rock outcrops or (in parts of northern Europe) from the fields of glacial erratics left by retreating ice sheets. Yet the deployment of materials can rarely be explained solely by their local availability. Many megalithic structures appear by intention to incorporate stones of different geological types and origins. This is demonstrated by the fact that the different stones are often arranged not haphazardly but in specific patterns within the monuments. Symmetries, pairings and oppositions are often observed. Hence factors other than mere availability of materials must have played a part in guiding the selection of the stones, and the manner in which they were arranged within the monuments.
