[Tax-chick]

Maeshowe may show winter solstice?

[blam]

GGG Ping.

[spaatzcadet]

Wow-

Excellent artical, thanks.

[JimRed]

At Newgrange in County Meath, Ireland there is a similar structure. The difference is that the inner chamber is fully illuminated at sunrise on the winter solstice. It is estimated to have been built around 3200 B.C.

Standing inside cannot help but impress you with the skill and technology of these primitive people. Not only moving and assembling the huge stones, but aligning them perfectly for the desired effect.

[calex59]

This is quite interesting, thanks for the post.

[Sweetjustusnow]

From the articls: "The angle of the passage is designed to allow a leeway for several days either side of the solstice. So even if midwinter is cloudy, there are likely to be clear days that allow the passage of the sun."

Sounds like passive solar to me! Don't have to "worship Gods" to be farmers back then storing food stuffs for the winter. From the article: "It was built by the Stone Age farmers ".

From the article: " We do not know precisely what went on here"

I can't believe that this would be attached to pagan ritual, etc. (WEll yes I can). Ugh.

This is obviously meant to be a FOOD storage facility. Either for the locals or used for military purposes and most likely both.

[Harry Pothead]

I have been to Orkney, and this site. It was probably one of the best vacations I have ever had. Everyone there is friendly (farmers hanging out of the tractor to wave hello) and the standing stones, cairns and other sites are unbelievable. You are able to crawl inside many of the tombs.
Orkney is definitely my favorite place that I have traveled to in the world! And Ive seen a bit of it.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

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[csvset]

Here's a link to Historic Scotland's Maeshowe page.

Maeshowe Chambered Cairn

[bert]

.....Maeshowe is one of the largest burial mounds of Neolithic Europe......

I do not think this is a burial mound. There apparently is no evidence today of very ancient burials. There mave been burials there at a later date but I don't think that was the primary purpose.

The purpose of the structure and the enormous labor expense is far more important than a burial. The structure is a solar clock. It is a time telling device. It may or may not be religious but it is likely that the ceremonies associated with the structure were administered by the religious rather than the political leadership.

The presence of similar solar time pieces everywhere in the world is evidence of technology transferred over time all across the human presence on earth.

[Dustbunny]

Really interesting, looks like a great part of history to visit.

[Ciexyz]

Winter solstice bump.

[SunkenCiv]

Sardinia's prehistoric towers
Science Frontiers | No. 55: Jan-Feb 1988 | William R. Corliss
Posted on 01/09/2006 10:13:36 PM PST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1555139/posts

[BlackVeil]

Solstice flag!

That story is current also for this year, and at that story, they have a link to the site where they show a webcam for the arrival of the sun's rays.

[Sam Cree]

*

[Salamander]

less than an hour ping

[bert]

Why go abroad when one can get the view in America, at Cahokia

Cahokia had a population of 25,000 when London was a tiny village

Cahokia is agriss the river from Ferguson MO

[P.O.E.]

Kind of humbling - I wonder how many of today’s population could design and build such a thing.

[Fred Nerks]

Reminiscent of KNOWTH in Ireland, where the builders clearly left behind their solar/lunar calculations.

Source