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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Summer Solstice 2015 |
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The Eternal 924 posts |
Jul 04, 2015, 23:56
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tjj wrote: Now the parties are over, have seen many photos/videos from Avebury and Stonehenge. A few from Castlerigg which were rather lovely in the low cloud. I am wondering was the midsummer solstice actually celebrated in prehistory or even in the first millennium? I totally get the Midwinter Solstice celebrations - driving away the darkness and the return of the light. Hi June, You have echoed my thoughts exactly. I have banged on about the Midwinter Solstice being more important on TMA numerous times, but most people seem too ready to accept the Summer Solstice version. My main argument has been, as Parker-Pearson re-iterated during his Durrington/Stonehenge investigations, why enter Stonehenge via the Avenue and then turn around to face the Midsummer Sunrise. It's more logical to enter Stonehenge and face the object of your journey, i.e. the Midwinter Sunset. This also makes more sense, as the sunset at the darkest day would be the most worrying time, in that the community would be hoping for the Sun to return to ensure life for the crops. Also, in Christian religions, the congregation enter the church and face the altar in the same direction. Just a few thought of mine, but I think we agree. All the very best, TE.
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tjj 3606 posts |
Jul 05, 2015, 09:52
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The Eternal wrote: tjj wrote: Now the parties are over, have seen many photos/videos from Avebury and Stonehenge. A few from Castlerigg which were rather lovely in the low cloud. I am wondering was the midsummer solstice actually celebrated in prehistory or even in the first millennium? I totally get the Midwinter Solstice celebrations - driving away the darkness and the return of the light. Hi June, You have echoed my thoughts exactly. I have banged on about the Midwinter Solstice being more important on TMA numerous times, but most people seem too ready to accept the Summer Solstice version. My main argument has been, as Parker-Pearson re-iterated during his Durrington/Stonehenge investigations, why enter Stonehenge via the Avenue and then turn around to face the Midsummer Sunrise. It's more logical to enter Stonehenge and face the object of your journey, i.e. the Midwinter Sunset. This also makes more sense, as the sunset at the darkest day would be the most worrying time, in that the community would be hoping for the Sun to return to ensure life for the crops. Also, in Christian religions, the congregation enter the church and face the altar in the same direction. Just a few thought of mine, but I think we agree. All the very best, TE. Thanks for this TE, sorry to hear about your Dad - hope the situation is improving. I can't think of a prehistoric site that is specifically aligned to the Summer Solstice sunrise, though I would be happy to accept there is one. I think its generally accepted that Stonehenge is about the Winter Solstice. As is Newgrange and Maeshowe. To some extent our modern day celebrations are very much a personal thing. People clearly enjoy being outside early on a midsummer's day and watching the some come up. For me, my moment of epiphany was many years ago, in London (Whetstone) of all places when the sun burst up on a frosty morning on the second day of February. Since then, that 'return of the light' (end of January/beginning of February) has always been my 'special' time of the year. All the best June
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nigelswift 8112 posts |
Jul 05, 2015, 10:33
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"I think its generally accepted that Stonehenge is about the Winter Solstice." Indeed. And the sunset, not the sunrise. And as viewed from outside, not inside. (All based on EH's research and the observation that the outer faces of some stones were specially dressed to set off the latter spectacle.) Personally I'm very lucky, I have a bay window that provides distant horizon views of sunsets throughout the year so I can watch the sun's progress as it moves North for half a year then South for the other half - marking out my life I suppose or providing a bit of a spiritual connection, depending on my mood! I find dressing up as Arthur and shaking a mop at it adds a certain quality to the event. It's a bit unfortunate isn't it, that most of us live where we are pretty unaware of the magical time keeping going on in the sky. Not to be too dramatic about it but it does lend a certain feeling of context to life, which is probably beneficial.
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tiompan 5758 posts |
Jul 05, 2015, 23:44
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"My main argument has been, as Parker-Pearson re-iterated during his Durrington/Stonehenge investigations, why enter Stonehenge via the Avenue and then turn around to face the Midsummer Sunrise. " That's what you do at Newgrange .i.e. enter in one direction then turn around . It also assumes that there was a some observation going on ,at Newgrange too for that matter .
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The Eternal 924 posts |
Jul 12, 2015, 22:14
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tiompan wrote: .......That's what you do at Newgrange .i.e. enter in one direction then turn around . It also assumes that there was a some observation going on ,at Newgrange too for that matter . Hi tiompan, Good point, although in a place such as Newgrange there is no other option other than to turn round, with it being an enclosed space. At Stonehenge it is an open site. I agree that there was definitely some observation going on at Newgrange. Al the best, TE.
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The Eternal 924 posts |
Jul 12, 2015, 22:16
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Hi June, Thanks for your concern. All the best, TE.
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tiompan 5758 posts |
Jul 12, 2015, 22:55
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The Eternal wrote: tiompan wrote: .......That's what you do at Newgrange .i.e. enter in one direction then turn around . It also assumes that there was a some observation going on ,at Newgrange too for that matter . Hi tiompan, Good point, although in a place such as Newgrange there is no other option other than to turn round, with it being an enclosed space. At Stonehenge it is an open site. I agree that there was definitely some observation going on at Newgrange. Al the best, TE. TE , Although it may have been , I am not convinced that observation was going on at either site . There would have been simple observation needed to work out the the direction of the solstice event at each site , but after that not necessarilly . If Newgrange had the blocking stone in place ,relatively soon after build ,as we now know was the case at some chambered tombs , it wouldn't have been at all likely .
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