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Stone circle suggests Stonehenge part of burial complex

(CNN) -- Stonehenge, an enigma to visitors and scientists alike for so many years, became less of a mystery after a discovery announced to the world this week.


A stone circle discovered near Stonehenge may suggest the prehistoric monument was part of a funeral route.

Archaeologists have unearthed a new stone circle near Stonehenge that lends credence to the theory that the famous prehistoric monument in Britain was part of a funeral complex.

University of Bristol archaeologist Joshua Pollard described the new find as "incredible" because it establishes Stonehenge as part of a larger ceremonial complex linked to the nearby River Avon.

"No one could have predicted there was another stone circle so close by," said Pollard, co-director of the excavation project that began in 2004.

This, he said, changes the perception of the popular tourist destination 90 miles west of London.

The new find, dubbed "Bluestonehenge" after the color of the 25 Welsh stones of which it was once composed, sits along the Avon a mile away from its famous sister circle, Pollard said.