What’s the meaning of Stonehenge? An exploration of responses to the archaeological site through ‘below the line’ comments in British newspapers

Abstract

Through qualitative analysis of newspaper comments, this paper examines diverse interpretations of Stonehenge and public attitudes towards archaeology. This research reveals that archaeological news, like other evidence-based disciplines, faces challenges of scepticism and backlash in the post-Brexit, post-pandemic era. While Stonehenge continues to attract substantial archaeological news coverage, public interest follows predictable patterns, with persistent fascination for contrarian, esoteric and nationalist narratives. Most archaeological news briefly enters public consciousness before fading, leaving these enduring tropes intact. This work emphasizes the gap between theoretical debates and scholarly knowledge, and public interest in sites such as Stonehenge, which challenges archaeologists to reconsider their approaches to those outside the discipline.