Hello Thibaud, You raise a good question. The solstices are easy to mark on the horizon as the sun stops and changes direction. The equinox is harder to mark using "horizon astronomy". Okay, switch to "shadow astronomy". The equinox is special because the path of the shadow of a point traces a straight line on any plane on the equinox, and only on the equinox. This straight line equinox shadow path is an east west line on a horizontal plane. I speculate that this was observed and marked during the stone age.
My presentation at the NASS Conference was an introduction for the guest speaker, Dr. Gordon Freeman, who reviewed his research on the Majorville Medicine Wheel pictured in my presentation. He claims to have identified many precise orientations marked with significant stones at this site: solstice sunrise and sets, north south lines, east west lines and equal day. See his website at http://www.ualberta.ca/~gfreeman/ . There are links in his publication list to papers, 460 and 461 for example, on this topic. My caveat at the end of my presentation remains. Be wary of over interpretation. Regards, Roger Bailey Walking Shadow Designs N 48.6 W 123.4 -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Th. Taudin Chabot Sent: December 18, 2004 3:30 AM To: [email protected] Subject: equinox in the stone age..... Roger, Because the subject was mentioned I realised I have still a question about orientation points to which I never found an acceptable answer. Perhaps you or somebody else on the list know the right answer. In the old times like Stonehenge it was easy to find the midwinter and midsummer spots of sunrise and sunset, just look and make a mark. But how did they find the spots of sunrise and sunset at the equinox? Halving the distance between summer and winter is rather rough and would only work with a completely horizontal horizon, no hills etc. Measuring day/night length was stil not possible as far as I know. Measuring the heigth of the sun (or shadow length) at noon was to far ahead in the knowledge I guess (an other way of halving between summer and winter). Did they realise that the equinox was special and in what way? Thibaud Chabot At 18:37 13-12-2004, Roger Bailey wrote: >Bonjour François, > >I gave a similar presentation at the NASS Conference in Banff August 2002 >entitled "Shadow vs. Horizon Archaeoastronomy". In this presentation I >develop the idea that civilization started with seasonal markers, the >astronomical alignments of monuments. I discuss historical ages in >astronomy, horizon archaeoastronomy, winter solstice, equinox phenomenon, >heliacal rising and Medicine Wheels. > >I would be happy to send you and others the 31 slides as a 528 kb pdf or >4.23 MB PowerPoint ppt file. The files are large because of the pictures and >a simple animation of the Kukulcan equinox sunset shadow phenomenon. > >Your request comes at a good time, as the Winter Solstice approaches. > >Regards, > >Roger Bailey >Walking Shadow Designs >N 48.6, W 123.4 > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of f.pineau2 >Sent: December 12, 2004 12:14 PM >To: SUNDIAL LIST >Subject: alignment > > >Hello all >I am preparing a talk about astronomical alignment in all kind of monuments. >So I would grateful to receive links to website about this toppic. >For example: >Stonehenge, Carnac and others megaliths alignments >Egyptian Pyramids and alignments with stars >Inca, Aztec, Mayas monuments orientation >churches and cathedrals orientation >Indoor meridian in church >memorial monuments with special orientation or enlightned by sun on special >time. >and all kind ... >Thank you by advance >----------------------------------------------------------------- >François PINEAU >37000 TOURS >FRANCE >47° 23' 24" N , 0° 41' 19" E >http://perso.wanadoo.fr/cadrans-solaires/ >---------------------------------------------------------------- > > >- > >- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Th. Taudin Chabot, home email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - -
