The ancient ring of stones Rujm el-Khiri or the Wheel of Spirits, which is located on the Golan Heights plateau in Syria, was previously considered a kind of astronomical observatory, writes ScienceAlert.

Previously, scientists assumed that the rings of the Wheel of Spirits correspond to the location of certain celestial objects. But new research has refuted the purpose of the megalithic structure..

U Focus. Technologies has its own Telegram channel. Subscribe so you don't miss the latest and most exciting news from the world of science!

Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have found that the Wheel of Spirits has changed its position significantly over the past few thousand years.. Therefore, the stone circles did not coincide with celestial bodies as they do today.

The new study used a combination of methods including geomagnetic analysis, tectonic reconstruction and remote sensing.

“The geological structure of the Rujm al-Khiri area was shaped by the tectonic evolution of the region, which led to the rotation of the blocks and therefore the migration of its location and direction of the main entrance and radial walls over time,” say the study authors.

“Analysis of the region shows that a section of the Spirit Wheel has turned counterclockwise and has moved tens of meters from its original location,” the scientists add..

Construction of the megalithic complex could have begun as early as 4500 BC.. , although various sections may have been rebuilt and added until the Bronze Age around 3600–2300 BC. perhaps with a few additional changes over the following centuries. The authors of other studies also suggested that the stone circles were the remains of an ancient fortress or could have been a simple gathering place.

The site includes a central cairn surrounded by several concentric circles of basalt stone, spanning approximately 150 meters. The team also discovered other structures, walls and mounds (burial mounds) in the surrounding area.

" This included adding new objects, building walls over old ones, and changing the landscape with new objects,"

The researchers also add that this is the first time such scientific methods have been combined to obtain more detailed archaeological data..

Recall that some believe that mysterious structures throughout England were places where Druids performed rituals. However, scientists still do not know why they were actually built..