ocifant
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Line of sight calculator
Dec 08, 2010, 13:07
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Don't know if people are aware of this tool, but click two (or more) point on the (Google) map and it draws a line of sight profile.
Handy for seeing if sites can be seen from each other, or whether there are any hills in the way.
http://www.heywhatsthat.com/profiler-0904.html
(supplied as seen, no warranty implied)
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nigelswift
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Re: Line of sight calculator
Dec 09, 2010, 04:31
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That's a dinky little application Oci, someone on Britarch was enquiring if such a thing existed recently.
Of course, in some cases it only has to be a bit wrong to be completely wrong, and it doesn't allow for tree cover. Or the height of the observer (I can see Silbury from a point near the Obelisk but my daughter cant!), but still, anything that will result in the rescue of Watkins from the clutches of the Mysterions is a good thing by me.
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Littlestone
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Re: Line of sight calculator
Dec 09, 2010, 06:29
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Or the height of the observer (I can see Silbury from a point near the Obelisk but my daughter cant!)...
Yup, position and height are critical. Click on the pic here - http://silbury-hill.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html#315953661864961496 (click again to enlarge). Silbury can just be seen on the skyline between the stone on the left and the stone on the right. If Silbury were originally higher it would have been more easily seen from the Obelisk. If Waden Hill was slightly higher however (now somewhat reduced due to ploughing?) or wooded in the Neolithic, Silbury wouldn’t have been visible from that point... suggesting there was no grand design to link Silbury and the Henge visually?
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goffik
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Re: Line of sight calculator
Dec 09, 2010, 07:12
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Good find, Oci! I look forward to having a good play later...
I've not looked at it yet - is it global, or just the UK? Quite fancy having a bit of s squizz around Carnac... :)
G x
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ocifant
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Re: Line of sight calculator
Dec 09, 2010, 08:16
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Oh Global!
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nigelswift
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Edited Dec 09, 2010, 08:44
Re: Line of sight calculator
Dec 09, 2010, 08:42
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"Oh Global!"
Oh Gawd!
Leys to amaze!
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Sanctuary
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Re: Line of sight calculator
Dec 09, 2010, 09:29
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Littlestone wrote: Or the height of the observer (I can see Silbury from a point near the Obelisk but my daughter cant!)...
Yup, position and height are critical. Click on the pic here - http://silbury-hill.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html#315953661864961496 (click again to enlarge). Silbury can just be seen on the skyline between the stone on the left and the stone on the right. If Silbury were originally higher it would have been more easily seen from the Obelisk. If Waden Hill was slightly higher however (now somewhat reduced due to ploughing?) or wooded in the Neolithic, Silbury wouldn’t have been visible from that point... suggesting there was no grand design to link Silbury and the Henge visually?
I see no reason personally why there would have been a need for the two to be connected in a direct visual sense but it would be from the top of the Great Circles bank wouldn't it and that is part of the setup?
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Littlestone
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Re: Line of sight calculator
Dec 09, 2010, 09:44
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Can’t remember who she was now but some archeo, writing in a book years ago, said Silbury couldn’t be seen from within the Henge. Silbury can be seen from the Obelisk but whether that’s always been the case is another matter. Silbury can also be seen from the Bank in the north-east quadrant. Dunno if there are any other places in, or on, the Henge from where it can be seen though (unless you climb one of the stones that is ;-)
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nigelswift
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Re: Line of sight calculator
Dec 09, 2010, 09:50
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Sanctuary wrote: I see no reason personally why there would have been a need for the two to be connected in a direct visual sense but it would be from the top of the Great Circles bank wouldn't it and that is part of the setup?
It would be strange if no effort had been made to set up a visual link between two wonders of the world that had been built in such close proximity. You might just as well say they weren't particularly bothered about whether Silbury was visible from anywhere in the landscape, which clearly seems to be the reverse of the truth.
I also don't think the henge wall would be the likely intended viewing point. From a ceremonial point of view (literally) seeing it from inside the henge seems much more likely to have been considered important.
In any case, the henge wall at the relevant point is much lower than it was originally, having been demolished to allow tourist Stage coaches through (no piddling about planning visitors centres in those days, just bish, bash, done!)
The original henge wall (I think) would have been exactly on a line in space running from Silbury, the shoulder of Waden, skimming the henge wall and into the eyeball of a shortish person standing a few feet across from the obelisk. Four points in perfect three dimensional alignment. Chance or deliberate? Spoilsport Littlestone points out Waden might have been wooded, thereby making it chance at a stroke. But WAS it wooded?
And anyway, there was a totem or tower on top, it all works perfectly then, even with trees - quite magical in fact since that's all you'd see from the Henge and for miles along the Ridgeway. The Silbury Tower Game (c)
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Sanctuary
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Re: Line of sight calculator
Dec 09, 2010, 10:14
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nigelswift wrote: Sanctuary wrote: I see no reason personally why there would have been a need for the two to be connected in a direct visual sense but it would be from the top of the Great Circles bank wouldn't it and that is part of the setup?
It would be strange if no effort had been made to set up a visual link between two wonders of the world that had been built in such close proximity. You might just as well say they weren't particularly bothered about whether Silbury was visible from anywhere in the landscape, which clearly seems to be the reverse of the truth.
Not so sure about that myself Nigel. My own personal view is that Silbury was built where it is for just two reasons and neither had anything to do with being seen from the Great Circle but the belief at the time. 1. It's close proximity to the Swallowhead Springs which it interacted with. 2. It's direct 'challenge' to the WKLB that also interacted with the springs during its heyday and former belief. That's why Silbury was built so high in my opinion as there seems to be no other explanation as to why it needed to be.
I explain it all in my book as I see it.
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