In August 2008, further excavation of Aubrey Hole 7 by Mike Parker Pearson, Mike Pitts and Julian Richards led the archaeologists to suggest that the 56 holes had held Welsh bluestones, since they are too shallow to be postholes. In fact the holes are identical in width, depth, and shape to the bluestones located elsewhere in Stonehenge. They are confident that the Aubrey holes belong to Stonehenge's initial phase of construction. Professor Parker Pearson said: "It's very exciting that we have evidence for stones right from its beginnings around 3000 BC. That's almost 500 years earlier than anyone had thought."