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Natural or Induced?
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tiompan
tiompan
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Re: poles in the holes
Aug 29, 2012, 09:34
Annexus Quam wrote:
IMO, the human variable is also slightly missing in Galician (not Portuguese) rock art equinoctial lines, which were recently pointed out by a researcher (mathematician), using poles, shadows and taking into account prehistoric azimuths. Needless to say, he was lambasted by academia but some of the equinoctial allignments directly on islands off the coast, for me, look ok, precisely because they are the most simple and easy to confirm.

What you mention about the fissures is curious - many of these have been found to be *part* of the designs or the motifs slide out of them. As for the sloping of the rock I understand an allignment between the design itself (?) and the sky (?). In cup and ring complexes, often on flat (or very slightly sloping) surfaces, any orientation would require poles in the holes.

I'll have to look into the Scottish site at a later date, thanks!



The use of poles is problematical in that we don't know that they were ever likely to have been used or on what date at what time ,when holding the pole perpendicular the slightest movement changes the angle of the shadow .It's simpler to dispense with the poles , if the cups are aligned you can confirm the alignment and orientation from a plan with an accurate northing . If you want to create an indication of an alignment there are much simpler methods . When you have a site that has more than say eight cup the possibilities for alignments of three are very likely when it is a typically complex site you have a huge choice ,which do you choose and why are there so many redundant markings if this was the original intention ?


Yes fissures and cracks are often incorporated into the more complex designs with radials coming downslope to meet crack/fissure .There have been mentions of possible alignments in relation to radials , I've checked a lot and they point in all directions but the most important point is that on a slope ,and many are on sloping rock ,they follow the slope .As an example ,at Achnabreck there are at least 65 radials on rocks that cam be split into four main surfaces ; Lower ,Middle , Upper and Wood when you compare the direction of slope with the direction of radials there is very close correspondence and also about 80% of radials meeting the fissures at an angle of 80-100 degrees . These relationships are found elsewhere , it looks like that what matters when incorporating radials into motifs is the natural markings ,whether perceived as natural or otherwise by the engravers , and the direction of slope .
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