SOLSTICE morning marked both the longest day of the year and the release of new book Megalith: Studies in Stone that claims to reveal secret behind the mystery of the cosmology surrounding stone circle constructions like Avebury.

Megalith is the first global study into the stones at both Avebury and Stonehenge and has been penned by stone circle experts including Robin Heath, that focusses on the Wiltshire circles.

Eight co-authors and experts in their fields have contributed to the book to shed light on the original purposes of Avebury and other sites where stone circles dominate the landscape.

Among the insights in Megalith, the book argues that there were probably once 99 stones in the outer circle at Avebury.

Contributing author Robin Heath, author of 11 books on prehistoric and ancient sciences, said: “The eight contributing authors to Megalith have undertaken original research on the nature and purpose of megalithic monuments outside the boundaries of the present day archaeological model of prehistory. This pioneering collection of their work celebrates megalithic society’s abilities and achievements in a new light, revealing an intellectual facet of prehistory, one that was employing an integrated and coherent cosmology, a megalithic science, more than 6,000 years ago.”

Mr Heath was joined by publisher and editor John Martineau giving talks about at both sites about the monuments. John Martineau, founder of the Megalithomania conference said: “The megalithic culture of western Europe left behind some vast and enigmatic temples, and yet there is little understanding of the cosmology driving their construction.” On solstice morning 9500 people flooded Stonehenge and 600 attended Avebury. No arrests were made at Stonehenge and two in Avebury.