Sunrise Solstice at Stoneheng

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 10:53 pm

What's this obsssion people have with ancient monuments and the summer solstice?

alurker · Post by **alurker** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:18 pm

I'm not sure of the significance with Stonehenge (I think it's something to do with the shadows thrown by the standing stones during solstice), but the passageway into the internal burial chamber Newgrange in ireland was constructed in such a way that enough sunlight only ever penetrates the burial chamber to illuminate it, at sunrise for a few days around the winter solstice. It indicates a certain amount of significance for those who designed and built it back in 3200BC.

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 1:37 am

alurker wrote:It indicates a certain amount of significance for those who designed and built it back in 3200BC.

Or a certain amount of pure coincidence and wishful thinking on behalf of onlookers 5200 years later.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 1:49 am

Our Pagan site had a posting from some body at the BBC who "wanted to follow anyone going to StoneHenge for the Solstice".
Considering that there are rituals going on at Avebury, Rollright Stones and a host of other places, Stonehenge is a little over-exposed.
Watch out for the usual drivel on the "Heaven & Earth Show" on Sunday.

I mentioned this to an aquaintance, saying, "The only people who go to Stonehenge are..."
and he finished for me: "..Idiots?"
It wasn't what I meant, but it was close enough.

I'm going up to Coombe Hill in Buckinghamshire on Saturday Evening for Midsummer day. There's bound to be some interesting stuff going on up there.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:20 am

Spiro Mounds, perhaps the most significant archaeological site in Eastern Oklahoma, has special tours during the equinoxes and the solstices.

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:58 am

I've been familiar with Stonehenge, Avebury, West Kennett Long Barrow, and many other smaller neolithic sites since I was a toddler.

We used to visit Avebury every year during our summer holidays. There's something very special about the place - less these days now it's more crowded.

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 4:39 am

It wasn't like the picture this morning I hear. Pouring down and a mite chilly into the bargain. It's tough being a druid at times.

Joseph E. Smith · Post by **Joseph E. Smith** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 4:52 am

SteveShaw wrote:It wasn't like the picture this morning I hear. Pouring down and a mite chilly into the bargain. It's tough being a druid at times.

Yes, but that's life in the Earth Magic world.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 5:16 am

SteveShaw wrote:It wasn't like the picture this morning I hear. Pouring down and a mite chilly into the bargain. It's tough being a druid at times.

One of our chants goes:

...Celebrate eight times a year,
Bring some candles, bring some beer!
Celebrate in open air,
Bring a brolly and a spare...

(Brolly=umbrella)

Whistlin'Dixie · Post by **Whistlin'Dixie** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 5:25 am

That picture is absolutely gorgeous!

Thanks!

M

hyldemoer · Post by **hyldemoer** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:26 am

Walden wrote:What's this obsssion people have with ancient monuments and the summer solstice?

We've got indigenous history of them stateside as well.
Try running a search engine on the words _cahokia_ and _woodhenge.

Tril Bluejacket · Post by **Tril Bluejacket** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:43 am

The photos of Stonehenge and Newgrange are fabulous!

In the novel Ireland, by Frank Delaney, the Storyteller weaves a fascinating tale about Newgrange and how it came to be. (I love the book and know I'll read it again and again.)

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:55 am

I was almost disappointed with Stonhenge. I grew up in America
with this vision of huge stones towering overhead, teeming with
unfathomable energies. When I finally got there 2 years ago, it
was kind of... small. Still cool, though, historically speaking. Used
up a whole roll of film on the place. Too bad the owners of the
land (before it became a protected site) didn't take better care...

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:04 pm

Walden wrote:What's this obsssion people have with ancient monuments and the summer solstice?

Actually, some of our California Missions were designed by the Padres to illuminate their altars or other pieces of art at the various solstices as well as reflect certain astronomical features, which shows that even in the 18th century, it was still a big deal. They didn't just plot out a square and lay out the buildings but carefully considered this annual event.

A UC Professor, Ruben Mendoza, has been researching this and giving very interesting lectures about it at historical society meetings and scholarly conferences.

A link with some info [is here]

As for the obsession, it's more of a re-discovery of what was common in the old days, before electrical lighting and lifestyle changes blurred and blotted the passage of seasons.

And, the older I get, the more important the solstices become to me, not as intellectual symbolic concepts, but an intimate part of my ever-decreasing time on earth. It's taken me many years to truly appreciate this longest day of the year and how it makes me feel within the context of the earth's cycles. I have come to resent those short winter days and relish these long summer ones. I feel better, have more energy and feel a sense of hopefulness in terms of personal accomplishment. It's funny, I never would have thought it mattered.