Prehistoric Landscape Change Around the Sources of Stonehenge’s Bluestones in Preseli, Wales

**Authors:** Daisy Eleanor Spencer, Karen Molloy, Mike Parker Pearson, Ralph Fyfe, Aaron Potito  

**Journal:** Landscape Research (published online ahead of print, 2025)  

**DOI:** [10.1080/14614103.2025.2574741](https://doi.org/10.1080/14614103.2025.2574741)  

This paper presents a palaeoenvironmental study examining landscape changes in the Preseli Hills of Pembrokeshire, west Wales—the source region for Stonehenge's iconic bluestones. The research tests the hypothesis that the transportation of these stones to Stonehenge around 3000 BC (marking the site's earliest phase) may have coincided with a significant out-migration of people from Preseli, potentially leading to reduced human activity until about 2200 BC. This could manifest in the palaeoecological record as a decline in indicators of human land use, such as pastoral or arable farming signals.

#### Methodology

The study employs a multi-proxy, multi-site approach to overcome the challenges of limited deep peat sequences in the region. Researchers analysed multiple sediment cores from heathland slopes in the Preseli Hills, supplemented by archaeological spot samples from five local prehistoric sites. Key analyses included:

- Pollen and macrofossil identification to track vegetation changes.

- Non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) for additional environmental indicators.

- Loss-on-ignition (LOI at 550°C) for organic content assessment.

- Stratigraphical profiling for chronological context.

This spans the Early Holocene to the Late Bronze Age, providing high-resolution insights into local environmental dynamics.

#### Main Findings

- **Mesolithic and Early Neolithic:** The landscape was overwhelmingly wooded, with dominant woodland species in pollen records, reflecting minimal human intervention.

- **Early–Middle Neolithic:** Subtle increases in pastoral indicators (e.g., grazing-related pollen) align with archaeological evidence of activity at key bluestone quarries and monuments, suggesting emerging human influence contemporaneous with Stonehenge's bluestone phase.

- **c. 3000–2200 BC (Beaker Period):** Despite sparse archaeological artefacts indicating potential depopulation, the presence of cereal pollen grains points to ongoing, albeit low-level, human presence and agricultural activity. No sharp decline in anthropogenic signals was detected, challenging the out-migration hypothesis.

- **Late Bronze Age:** A marked expansion of pastoral farming and arable cultivation occurred, with significant rises in grassland and crop-related pollen, indicating intensified land use.

The findings highlight continuity in human-environment interactions rather than abandonment post-bluestone transport.

#### Contributions and Implications

This work advances understanding of prehistoric population dynamics in Preseli by integrating palaeoecology with archaeology, filling gaps in a region where data scarcity has long hindered interpretations. It suggests that bluestone movement did not trigger mass exodus but coexisted with sustained, if modest, local habitation. The study underscores the value of multi-core sampling for robust reconstructions in peat-poor landscapes and contributes to broader debates on Neolithic–Bronze Age transitions in Britain, including cultural links between Wales and Wiltshire.