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Researchers validate ancient astronomical structures
August 17, 2016 by Robyn Mills
The great stone circle, Stenness on the Isle of Orkney, is
situated in a “reverse” landscape. The project examined the alignments running
from the centre of circle through the stones on the circle's perimeter and the
stone holes where stones formally stood (as revealed by excavation). This told
us that the stone furthest to the right is oriented upon the last glimmer of a
southern Moon occurring only every 18.6 years; the second stone is aligned
towards the winter solstice sunset and the stone furthest to our left is
aligned to the Moon as it sets into its most northern position every 18.6
years. These are astronomical events that could be seen 5000 years ago. Credit:
Douglas Scott
University of Adelaide research has for the first time
statistically proven that the earliest standing stone monuments of Britain, the
great circles, were constructed specifically in line with the movements of the
Sun and Moon, 5000 years ago.
The research, published in the Journal of Archaeological
Science: Reports, details the use of innovative 2D and 3-D technology to
construct quantitative tests of the patterns of alignment of the standing
stones.
"Nobody before this has ever statistically determined
that a single stone circle was constructed with astronomical phenomena in mind
– it was all supposition," says project leader and University of Adelaide
Visiting Research Fellow Dr Gail Higginbottom, who is also a Visiting Research
Fellow at the Australian National University.
Examining the oldest great stone circles built in Scotland
(Callanish, on the Isle of Lewis, and Stenness, Isle of Orkney ─ both
predating Stonehenge's standing stones by about 500 years), the researchers
found a great concentration of alignments towards the Sun and Moon at different
times of their cycles. And 2000 years later in Scotland, much simpler monuments
were still being built that had at least one of the same astronomical
alignments found at the great circles.
The stones, however, are not just connected with the Sun and
the Moon. The researchers discovered a complex relationship between the
alignment of the stones, the surrounding landscape and horizon, and the
movements of the Sun and the Moon across that landscape.
"This research is finally proof that the ancient
Britons connected the Earth to the sky with their earliest standing stones, and
that this practice continued in the same way for 2000 years," says Dr
Higginbottom.
Examining sites in detail, it was found that about half the
sites were surrounded by one landscape pattern and the other half by the
complete reverse.
"These chosen surroundings would have influenced the
way the Sun and Moon were seen, particularly in the timing of their rising and
setting at special times, like when the Moon appears at its most northerly
position on the horizon, which only happens every 18.6 years," Dr
Higginbottom says.
"For example, at 50% of the sites, the northern horizon
is relatively higher and closer than the southern and the summer solstice Sun
rises out of the highest peak in the north. At the other 50% of sites, the
southern horizon is higher and closer than the northern, with the winter
solstice Sun rising out of these highest horizons.
"These people chose to erect these great stones very
precisely within the landscape and in relation to the astronomy they knew. They
invested a tremendous amount of effort and work to do so. It tells us about
their strong connection with their environment, and how important it must have
been to them, for their culture and for their culture's survival."
The research is part of the Western Scotland Megalithic
Landscape Project carried out by Dr Higginbottom and Professor Roger Clay,
astrophysicist at the University of Adelaide.
Explore further:
Research finds Stonehenge was monument marking unification of Britain
More information: Gail Higginbottom et al. Origins of
Standing Stone Astronomy in Britain: New quantitative techniques for the study
of archaeoastronomy, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (2016). DOI:
10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.05.025"
