Mysterious fire monument in UK predates Stonehenge: Study

London: A massive, wooden monument in the UK, that was set alight in ancient ceremonies, predates the iconic Stonehenge by 800 years, a new study has found.

The eyeglass-shaped monument in Avebury consists of two huge, circular enclosures - each outlined by tall, wooden posts.

The wooden circles, located about 37 kilometres from the mysterious stone circle at Stonehenge, were discovered when a pipeline was being laid in the 1960s and 1970s.

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, that consists of a ring of standing stones. One of the most famous landmarks in the UK, Stonehenge is regarded as a British cultural icon.

Researchers used modern carbon-dating techniques on the charred remains in the post holes, along with animal bones at the site and fragments of pottery.

They found that the monument id about 800 years older than the prior research had suggested, 'Live Science' reported.

Though the exact purpose of the Avebury monument is still shrouded in mystery, archaeologists think the two wooden circles were used for only a short time for a ceremony or festival before burning to the ground.

"It is much too large to be a stock enclosure; it has got to be a ceremonial enclosure," said Alex Bayliss, an archaeologist with Historic England.

"It is completely unlike anything we have ever found in the British prehistory," said Bayliss.