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Gerald called Stonehenge "The Giant's Dance," because he had
heard stories that giants brought the stones from Africa to Ireland,
and built the monument (by some accounts on Mount Kildare, and by
others "at Ophela, near the castle of Nas" (O'Meara, ). Later,
Gerald said, Aurelius Ambrosius, king of the Britons, had Merlin
bring the stones to Britain.
However, the archaeological evidence at Stonehenge simply does
not support an Arthurian date of construction. The archaeology
points to a construction date between 5,000 and 3,000 years ago
(more than likely, several construction dates over this time).
Stonehenge is angled such that on the equinoxes and the solstices,
the sun rising over the horizon appears to be perfectly placed
between gaps in the megaliths. This is doubtless not an accident,
and probably contributed to the stories of its mysterious
origins.
Photo Courtesy of ©
Martin Gray
Photo Courtesy of ©
Martin Gray
Stonehenge: Eclipse Computer?
Plan of Stonehenge with the Aubrey holes, the Heel Stone, and the
Station Stones 91, 92, 93, 94 marked (image from Rodney Castleden
The Making of Stonehenge. London
and New York: Routledge, 1993. p. 30)
Gerald Hawkins, a Professor of Astronomy,
concluded that Stonehenge was a sophisticated astronomical
observatory designed to predict eclipses (Stonehenge Decoded). The positioning of
the stones provides a wealth of information, as does the choice of
the site itself. If you can see the alignment, general relationship,
and the use of these stones then you will know the reason for the
construction. The author, and other astronomers, discovered the
56-year cycle of eclipses by decoding Stonehenge!
The
movement of stones once each year from an initial fixed position
allows to predict accurately every important lunar event for
hundreds of years. This computer would need resetting about once
every 300 years by advancing the stones by one space. Mankind
generally used the cycle of the moon as a unit of timekeeping.
The following material was adapted from ECLIPSE
by Bryan Brewer
Every year on the first day of summer, the Sun rises at a point
that is farther north than on any other day of the year. At the
ruins of Stonehenge in England, this solstice sunrise appears on the
horizon in direct alignment with the massive heel stone. This is the
most outstanding feature of this ancient monument, built during the
same era as the Great Pyramid of Egypt. There is little doubt that
the builders of Stonehenge used it to mark this special day as the
beginning of each year. By counting the number of days between these
annual alignments, they could determine the length of the year. This
could serve as a practical calendar to mark holidays and seasonal
festivals and to ensure the timely planting and harvesting of crops.
But to predict eclipses, knowledge of two other cycles is
required. One of these -- the length of the lunar month -- is easily
determined. It is simply the number of days between one full Moon
and the next. This cycle of 29-1/2 days is marked at Stonehenge by
two rings of 29 and 30 holes, which together average 29-1/2. The
other cycle, however, is of an altogether different character: it is
a cycle of rotation of two invisible points in space. The evidence
shows that the builders of Stonehenge probably discovered this cycle
and could have used it to predict eclipses.
These two invisible points in space are called the lunar nodes
(from the Latin for "knot"). They are the points where the
Moon's orbit, which is tilted at a slight angle, intersects the
plane of the Earth's orbit. It would have taken many decades of
watching countless risings and settings of the Moon to figure out
the cycle of the lunar nodes. This information -- which must have
been passed on from generation to generation -- is preserved at
Stonehenge. All the Moon alignments necessary for determining this
cycle are marked by massive stones.
Who were these people who observed this subtle cycle even before
the first metal tools were used by humankind? Some have suggested
that Stonehenge was built by Druids, but we don't really know much
about the builders. We do know that the actual motions of the Sun
and the Moon are reflected in the structure of Stonehenge, and we
can reason how it may have been used to keep track of these cycles.
The number of stones or holes in the ground in the various rings
around Stonehenge each represents a certain number of days or years
in the cycles. By moving markers (such as stones) around a ring in
time with the cycles, the positions of the Sun and Moon -- and the
two invisible points -- can be tracked. (The details of this method
are explained in Chapter 2 of the book ECLIPSE,
by Bryan Brewer.)
An eclipse can occur only when the Sun is close to being aligned
with a node. By using Stonehenge to keep track of the position of
the Sun and the nodes, these "danger periods" for eclipses
can be predicted. A new (or full) Moon appearing during one of these
periods would call for a special vigil to see if the solar (or
lunar) eclipse would be visible from Stonehenge. A total solar
eclipse would be a rarity. But the law of averages confirms that
either a partial solar eclipse or a lunar eclipse can be seen
(weather permitting) from the same point on the Earth about once
every year.
Why would eclipses have been so important to the ancient people
of Stonehenge? Perhaps they considered the darkening of the Sun or
the Moon a fearsome event -- a celestial omen of doom or disaster.
Many cultures have interpreted eclipses this way. But the
sophistication of the astronomy of Stonehenge suggests that the
builders had something different in mind. Their understanding of the
solar and lunar cycles must have led to a high regard for the cosmic
order. Eclipses may have been seen as affirmations of the regularity
of these cycles. Or perhaps the unseen lunar nodes formed an element
of their religion as invisible gods capable of eclipsing the
brightest objects in the heavens.
The idea that Stonehenge may have been a center for some kind of
worship has occurred to many. It is not hard to imagine Stone Age
people gathering at a "sacred place" at "sacred
times" (such as solstices, equinoxes, and eclipses) to reaffirm
their religious beliefs through ritual practices. British
antiquarian Dr. William Stukeley, who in 1740 was the first to note
the summer solstice alignment at Stonehenge, advanced the notion
that the monument was built by Druids to worship the serpent. He
claimed that Stonehenge and similar stone circles had been serpent
temples, which he called "Dracontia." Could this serpent
symbolism be related to eclipses? Recall that the key to eclipses is
the position of the lunar nodes. The length of time for the Moon to
return to a node (about 27.2 days) astronomers call the draconic
month. (Draco is the Latin word for "serpent" or
"dragon.) Perhaps the mythical serpents of Stonehenge and the
legendary dragon that eats the Sun are symbols of the same thing:
the invisible presence in time and space that eclipses the Sun and
the Moon.
The material above was adapted from ECLIPSE
by Bryan Brewer
Modern scientific investigations show that Earth has been hit
many times by objects such as comets and meteorites. Laboratory work
on comet impact effects demonstrates that comets could cause tidal
waves to exceed three miles tall and near 400 miles per hour. In the
last 10,000 years, there have been two impacts of such proportion: a
seven-fold impact into all the world's oceans around 7640 B.C., and
a single impact into the Mediterranean Sea about 3150 B.C., the time
of Noah's Flood.
Christopher Knight, Robert Lomas (Uriel's Machine) prove that ancient Europeans not
only survived the 7640 B.C. flood, but developed a highly advanced
civilization dedicated to predicting and preparing for future
meteoric impacts. Building an international network of sophisticated
astronomical observatories, these ancient astronomers created
accurate solar, lunar, and planetary calendars, measured the
diameter of the Earth, and precisely predicted comet collisions
years in advance. This was the true purpose of megalithic structures
such as Stonehenge. In 3150 B.C., the ancients' predictions proved
true, and their device- Uriel's Machine-allowed the reconstruction
of civilization in a shattered world.
Uriel's Machine also presents evidence that:
* There was a single global language on Earth
* A single
female was a common ancestor to all living humans
* Angels bred
with human women to create The Watchers, giant half-human
beings
* The oral tradition of Freemasonry records real
events
A fascinating study of humankind's past, present, and future,
Urie/'s Machine proves the world was indeed flooded, but survived
wholly due to these ancient Europeans, their heavenly knowledge, and
one remarkable machine.
Stonehenge
- Part 2
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CIVILIZATION ONE: Uncovering the Superscience of Prehistory by Christopher Knight and Alan Butler
"... no matter how clever we think we are today, greater minds
have existed in the remote past." |
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Sacred
Sites of the Knights Templar: Ancient Astronomer and
Freemasons at Stonehenge, Rennes-Le-Chateau, and Santiago De
Compostela
by John K. Young
(November 2003)
About the Author
John K Young, Ph.D., is a Professor of Anatomy at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He?s translated several Russian science books, and also written some medical books for young adults.
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Book Description
"All across the continent of Europe, massive stone monuments erected by a prehistoric culture can be found. These megalithic stones, resisting centuries of weathering or assaults by modern men, are all that remain of a society that has been erased by time. Stonehenge is the most familiar of these megalithic monuments, but in fact represents only one of many similar sites. Who were the people who built these monuments? Why were these stones significant to them?"
Sacred Sites of the Knights Templar examines sacred megalithic sites across the globe such as Stonehenge and Rennes le-Chateau revealing the astronomical significance of these sites as well as the secrets that significance bore to the Knights Templar.
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Uriel's Machine - NEW in paperback: Uncovering
the Secrets of Stonehenge, Noah's Flood and the Dawn of
Civilization
Christopher Knight, Robert Lomas
A fascinating study of humankind's past, present,
and future, Urie/'s Machine proves the world was indeed
flooded, but survived wholly due to these ancient Europeans,
their heavenly knowledge, and one remarkable machine.
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Stonehenge Revealed
David Souden
The latest archaeological methods provide
fascinating insights into the perplexing history of
Stonehenge. Over 200 striking full-color photographs reveal
the collection of stones from various perspectives, allowing
readers to sense the mysterious aura that surrounds this
place. Maps and charts.
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Stonehenge Complete
Christopher
Chippindale
The book is richly illustrated throughout with
photographs going back over 100 years, plus drawings and
paintings that date back at least to the 16th
century.
In this book you get to meet many
interesting characters who left their mark on Stonehenge and
its interpretation, from John Aubrey, William Cunnington,
Inigo Jones, Colin Renfrew to modern new age researchers. They
and their concepts are all presented here.
This book is a
start for anyone interested in learning more about Stonehenge.
It is written with a sense of humor, and in a very readable
style. You can then branch out to read more in-depth studies
of the various theories and paradigms that you are interested
in.
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Great Stone Circles : Fables, Fictions,
Facts
Aubrey Burl
For those who are enthralled by Stonehenge and the
many other awe-inspiring prehistoric stone circles of Britain,
archaeologist Aubrey Burl now offers fascinating insights into
their many mysteries. In this book he selects a dozen of the
most evocative rings and proposes sometimes surprising answers
to questions about the circles-their purpose, construction,
age, design, art, legends, and relation to astronomy.
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A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland
and Brittany (1995)
Aubrey Burl
This practical and knowledgeable guidebook is the
first to deal comprehensively with the stone circles of
Britain and Ireland and with the cromlechs and megalithic
"horseshoes" of Brittany. Filled with fascinating information,
useful maps, and arresting photographs, this invaluable
resource describes over 400 sites and discusses the
archaeology and architectural features of each ring.
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Stonehenge: A New Interpretation of Prehistoric
Man and the Cosmos
John David North
In a book that finally solves the riddle of
Stonehenge, scholar John North draws on more than 15 years of
research to offer a masterful "case-closed" study in which he
examines the monument from all available angles
--archeological, astronomical, and spiritual --and considers
relevant research from other prehistoric remains in Britain
and Northern Europe.
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The Age of Stonehenge
Colin
Burgess |
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The Knowledge Web : From Electronic Agents to
Stonehenge and Back--And Other Journeys Through
Knowledge
James Burke |
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The Stonehenge People : An Exploration of Life
in Neolithic Britain, 4700-2000 Bc
Rodney Castleden
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The Sacred Place : The Ancient Origin of Holy
and Mystical Sites
Paul
Devereux |
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The Stonehenge
Observatory.com
Dean Talboys, 2008 |
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by K.P. Robbins
www.TheStonehengeScrolls.com
“How did the Stonehenge monuments come to be?
Plenty of nonfiction titles discuss possibilities, but for a
fictional perspective that is compelling and involving, you can't
beat the thrills and unusual perspectives of The Stonehenge
Scrolls. A fine saga, The Stonehenge Scrolls is driven
by drama and tight, involving writing and is a pick for any who
enjoyed Auel's 'Earth's Children' series and similar historical
novels.” -- Midwest Book Review.
In this e-novel based on known archaeological
discoveries, eleven ancient scrolls unearthed near Dublin record the
oral history of Stonehenge. In alternating chapters,
fictional archaeologist Maeve Haley writes a blog asking if the
scrolls could be true and speculating on the meaning of Stonehenge.
Author K.P. Robbins has studied stone circles,
dolmens and cairns in England, Scotland, Wales, Brittany and
Ireland. “In my travels I met many people also fascinated with
Neolithic stone monuments,” she says. “I hope The Stonehenge
Scrolls not only appeals to them but also attracts new interest
in Stonehenge.”
Available on
Amazon Kindle and from
MuseItUpPublishing.com
More Books:
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Stonehenge and Avebury and neighbouring
monuments; an illustrated guide
Richard John Copland
Atkinson (Author), London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1959
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Stonehenge Decoded
Gerald
Hawkins, London: Souvenir Press, 1966
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The Making of
Stonehenge
London and New York: Routledge,
1993
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On Stonehenge
Fred Hoyle, San Francisco:
W. H. Freeman and Company, 1977
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Echoes of the Ancient Skies : The Astronomy of
Lost Civilizations
E. C. Krupp, New York:
Harper & Row, 1983
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Stonehenge and Other British Monuments
Astronomically Considered.
Sir Norman Lockyer,
London: Macmillan, 1906
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Pi in the Sky: A Revelation of the Ancient
Wisdom Tradition
Michael Poynder, London: Rider, 1992.
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