▁as ▁grav est ones . ▁The ▁mark ings ▁on ▁the ▁stones ▁and ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁sacrific ial ▁remains ▁could ▁suggest ▁a ▁religious ▁purpose , ▁perhaps ▁a ▁prime ▁location ▁for ▁the ▁occurrence ▁of ▁sh aman istic ▁rit uals . ▁Some ▁stones ▁include ▁a ▁circle ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁and ▁st yl ised ▁d agger ▁and ▁bel t ▁at ▁the ▁bottom , ▁which ▁has ▁led ▁some ▁sch ol ars , ▁such ▁as ▁William ▁Fitz h ugh , ▁to ▁spec ulate ▁that ▁the ▁stones ▁could ▁represent ▁a ▁spiritual ized ▁human ▁body , ▁particularly ▁that ▁of ▁a ▁prominent ▁figure ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁war rior ▁or ▁leader . ▁This ▁theory ▁is ▁rein for ced ▁by ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁stones ▁are ▁all ▁very ▁different ▁in ▁construction ▁and ▁imag ery , ▁which ▁could ▁be ▁because ▁each ▁stone ▁tells ▁a ▁unique ▁story ▁for ▁the ▁individual ▁it ▁represents . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁De er ▁Stone ▁Project ▁of ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁Institution ▁and ▁Mong ol ian ▁Academy ▁of ▁Sciences ▁began ▁to ▁record ▁the ▁stones ▁digit ally ▁with ▁ 3 - D ▁las er ▁sc anning . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁Men h ir ▁ ▁Car lin ▁stone ▁ ▁Dol m ens ▁▁ ▁G ow k ▁Stone ▁ ▁Stat ue ▁men h ir ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁meg al ith ic ▁sites ▁ ▁Meg al ith ▁ ▁Stand ing ▁stone ▁ ▁Ob el isk ▁ ▁Santa ' s ▁rein de er ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁Eric ▁A . ▁Pow ell ▁- ▁Mong olia ▁( Arch ae