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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Spring Equinox at Loughcrew |
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tiompan 3169 posts |
Mar 22, 2010, 19:00
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tjj wrote: tiompan wrote: moss wrote: And are there other chambers/stones in the British Isles that herald the arrival of the spring equinox Tiompan? Depending on how accurate the expectations are , a week either side would supply plenty .The most obvious are Callanish( eastern arm ) ,West Kennet LB ,Stonehenge cursus (I would consider them candidates for the equinox full moon ,but that's another story )Knowth eastern (it has a building in front of it so can't be tested for a wee while ) Curristanes and Stratford St Mary cursuses are pretty much bang on and a lot of Long barrows are aligned within a few days although not necessarily the passages . Heston Brake would be about 9 days early judging by a quick look at Google Earth . Because the sun is moving fast and doesn't stop and return as at the solstices it would be more difficult to calculate which may expalin the less accurate examples . Tiompan, I've just been looking at some amazing photos of a sunrise beam of light hitting the backstone in West Kennet Long Barrow, taken by Marina Graham, a local Wiltshire artist. Her photos were taken yesterday morning on the actual Spring Equinox and show a beam of light travelling down the inside of the chamber before hitting the backstone. (I only became aware of the unusual 'pinkish' sarsen at the back of WKLB last year). Its an overused word but stunning still comes to mind. June Thanks tjj , I imagine it might do it for a few days either side too .I liked your comment about the "flowers " at Loughcrew .
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tjj 1763 posts |
Mar 23, 2010, 23:18
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tiompan wrote: tjj wrote: tiompan wrote: moss wrote: And are there other chambers/stones in the British Isles that herald the arrival of the spring equinox Tiompan? Depending on how accurate the expectations are , a week either side would supply plenty .The most obvious are Callanish( eastern arm ) ,West Kennet LB ,Stonehenge cursus (I would consider them candidates for the equinox full moon ,but that's another story )Knowth eastern (it has a building in front of it so can't be tested for a wee while ) Curristanes and Stratford St Mary cursuses are pretty much bang on and a lot of Long barrows are aligned within a few days although not necessarily the passages . Heston Brake would be about 9 days early judging by a quick look at Google Earth . Because the sun is moving fast and doesn't stop and return as at the solstices it would be more difficult to calculate which may expalin the less accurate examples . Tiompan, I've just been looking at some amazing photos of a sunrise beam of light hitting the backstone in West Kennet Long Barrow, taken by Marina Graham, a local Wiltshire artist. Her photos were taken yesterday morning on the actual Spring Equinox and show a beam of light travelling down the inside of the chamber before hitting the backstone. (I only became aware of the unusual 'pinkish' sarsen at the back of WKLB last year). Its an overused word but stunning still comes to mind. June Thanks tjj , I imagine it might do it for a few days either side too .I liked your comment about the "flowers " at Loughcrew . Marina G has also commented on the backstone at Loughcrew - she is something of an authority on Ancient Egypt and hieroglyphics; here is what she said about the flower symbol. "I would imagine that the flower symbol is likely to be a reference to the year (divided into eight petals, perhaps representing Solstices, Equinoxes and cross quarter days). The spring Equinox may have been considered to be the beginning of the new Year. In ancient Egypt, it was very important which star was visible rising before the sun on the spring Equinox." I am very much the perpetual student and try to keep an open mind on more or less everything; does anyone know if there is any evidence of Egyptian influence in Ireland (the Ancient Serpent religion was mentioned on another thread). Branwen ... Where are you!
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tiompan 3169 posts |
Edited Mar 23, 2010, 23:38
Mar 23, 2010, 23:33
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tjj wrote: tiompan wrote: tjj wrote: tiompan wrote: moss wrote: And are there other chambers/stones in the British Isles that herald the arrival of the spring equinox Tiompan? Depending on how accurate the expectations are , a week either side would supply plenty .The most obvious are Callanish( eastern arm ) ,West Kennet LB ,Stonehenge cursus (I would consider them candidates for the equinox full moon ,but that's another story )Knowth eastern (it has a building in front of it so can't be tested for a wee while ) Curristanes and Stratford St Mary cursuses are pretty much bang on and a lot of Long barrows are aligned within a few days although not necessarily the passages . Heston Brake would be about 9 days early judging by a quick look at Google Earth . Because the sun is moving fast and doesn't stop and return as at the solstices it would be more difficult to calculate which may expalin the less accurate examples . Tiompan, I've just been looking at some amazing photos of a sunrise beam of light hitting the backstone in West Kennet Long Barrow, taken by Marina Graham, a local Wiltshire artist. Her photos were taken yesterday morning on the actual Spring Equinox and show a beam of light travelling down the inside of the chamber before hitting the backstone. (I only became aware of the unusual 'pinkish' sarsen at the back of WKLB last year). Its an overused word but stunning still comes to mind. June Thanks tjj , I imagine it might do it for a few days either side too .I liked your comment about the "flowers " at Loughcrew . Marina G has also commented on the backstone at Loughcrew - she is something of an authority on Ancient Egypt and hieroglyphics; here is what she said about the flower symbol. "I would imagine that the flower symbol is likely to be a reference to the year (divided into eight petals, perhaps representing Solstices, Equinoxes and cross quarter days). The spring Equinox may have been considered to be the beginning of the new Year. In ancient Egypt, it was very important which star was visible rising before the sun on the spring Equinox." I am very much the perpetual student and try to keep an open mind on more or less everything; does anyone know if there is any evidence of Egyptian influence in Ireland (the Ancient Serpent religion was mentioned on another thread). Branwen ... Where are you! There are other "flowers " at Loughcrew .Cairn x has one with 13 "petals " Cairn T roof has 9 ,there are two with 8 in the passage of T as well as a a 6 and a 9 whilst cairn S has a 4 .As Loughcrew predates Egyptian hieroglyphics maybe the influence was in the other direction .
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tjj 1763 posts |
Edited Mar 24, 2010, 00:19
Mar 24, 2010, 00:15
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Tiompan wrote: There are other "flowers " at Loughcrew .Cairn x has one with 13 "petals " Cairn T roof has 9 ,there are two with 8 in the passage of T as well as a a 6 and a 9 whilst cairn S has a 4 .As Loughcrew predates Egyptian hieroglyphics maybe the influence was in the other direction . Thanks Tiompan, that is really helpful - to my shame I have only skimmed the surface of the history of ancient Egypt. I understand from MG that the zigzag symbol in hieroglyphs means N and is used for the Nile so perhaps in ancient Ireland it did mean water. Possibly reading too much into your comment, I am thinking that the symbols in question may not have meant to be flowers at all.
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tiompan 3169 posts |
Mar 24, 2010, 00:51
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tjj wrote: Tiompan wrote: There are other "flowers " at Loughcrew .Cairn x has one with 13 "petals " Cairn T roof has 9 ,there are two with 8 in the passage of T as well as a a 6 and a 9 whilst cairn S has a 4 .As Loughcrew predates Egyptian hieroglyphics maybe the influence was in the other direction . Thanks Tiompan, that is really helpful - to my shame I have only skimmed the surface of the history of ancient Egypt. I understand from MG that the zigzag symbol in hieroglyphs means N and is used for the Nile so perhaps in ancient Ireland it did mean water. Possibly reading too much into your comment, I am thinking that the symbols in question may not have meant to be flowers at all. We don't that what they are but your earlier suggestion that they may signify flowers and the connection with the spring equinox was as good as any . The Z or zig zags are sometimes found on sills and have always struck me (groan ) that the swimming they signify is mental , after cracking yer skull on them .
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StoneGloves 1148 posts |
Mar 24, 2010, 07:37
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I know nothing about Egyptian hierioglyphs - but they had a zodiac. (Which I saw depicted in a Chariots of Fire-type book many years ago). The equivalent sign to Aquarius was pictured by a person holding a zigzag object in each hand. Since then I have told people that it is Aquarius the Water Diviner, rather than Aquarius the Water Carrier, which makes more sense in the Egyptian context.
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