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Ok, as @Bluestone4 has asked for my opinion, here goes. Comments relate only to the peer-reviewed paper, not to the TV programme. The re-discovery of a stone monument not far from outcrops confirmed to be the origin of the bluestones at Stonehenge is significant. 1/8
The six stoneholes and four extant stones make up an c.120m arc and single stone (not a full circle yet!). The extant stones and one flake are all unspotted dolerite - their exact origins could be proven with some geochemical work, but likely Carn Geodog and Cerrigmarchogion. 2/8
The similarities to Stonehenge are intriguing - the 'gunsight' entrance which appears to align with midsummer sunrise, the shape and size of the stones/ stoneholes. The overall size is similar to monuments of middle Neolithic date (Stonehenge, but also e.g. Flagstones). 3/8
At Stonehenge we have three extant stones (44, 45 and 62), and probably previously more (represented by debitage) unspotted dolerite uprights. It therefore seems quite likely that these stones once stood at Waun Mawn. 4/8
The bluestones have a complex history - some standing potentially as part of this monument in Wales, some at West Amesbury henge, and in various formations at Stonehenge. As @pittsmike has pointed out, the authors suggest stones were brought from several different monuments. 5/8
This research adds another layer of complexity to the bluestone story. Some of the other interpretations made in the paper, relating to migration and unification, are much more speculative, but at least are interesting hypotheses to test. 6/8
The isotope evidence shows that only 3 or 4 of the people buried at Stonehenge (out of 25 sampled) have signatures indicating that they lived in Wales or SW England during the final 10 years of their lives. And one old cow bone (actually this is really interesting). 7/8
I'm looking forward to seeing full publication of the Waun Mawn excavations- the paper doesn't have juicy details of sections, contexts and samples, nor does it publish the OSL dates in full. The dating in particular is unclear. All needed to make further comment. Fin. 8/8
