Stonehenge and Other British Stone Monuments Astronomically ConsideredLockyer, Norman, Sir
History
Stonehenge and Other British Stone Monuments Astronomically Considered
Lockyer, Norman, Sir
Druids and Druidism; Great Britain -- Antiquities; Stonehenge (England); Sun worship; Temples
After α Ursae Majoris had become circumpolar in the latitude of
Denderah, γ Draconis, which had ceased to be circumpolar, and so
fulfilled the conditions to which I have referred, replaced it. Its
declination was 58° 52′ N. about 3100 B.C., and it, therefore, could
have been watched rising in the axis prolonged of the old temple in the
time of Pepi, who restored it then, no doubt on account of the advent
of the new star, and is stated to have deposited a copy of the old plan
in a cavity in the new walls.
Here, then, we have two dates given by orientation of a clock-star
temple entirely agreeing with the most recent views of Egyptian
chronology.
In Dr. Budge’s _History of Egypt_ (iii. 14) the story of the rebuilding
of the temple at Annu by Usertsen (2433 B.C., Brugsch) is given from an
ancient roll. Supposing this temple built parallel with the faces of the
remaining obelisk, γ Draconis would rise in its axis prolonged 2500
B.C., proving that Usertsen did at Annu what Pepi previously did at
Denderah, and that the same reason for restoration and even the same
star were in question.[121]
When the clock-star ceased to be visible in the chief temple other
subsidiary temples were subsequently built to watch it. Thus γ Draconis
was watched at Thebes from 3500 B.C. to the times of the Ptolemys by
temples oriented successively from that of Mut Az. N. 72° 30′ E. to 68°
30′, 63° 30′, and 62°.[122]
It is worth while to show that what we know now of the Egyptian methods
of observation enables us to carry the matter further, while we gather
at the same time that in consequence of the difference of latitude the
method employed in Egypt could not be followed in Britain.
I showed in the _Dawn of Astronomy_ that several ancient shrines
consisted of two temples at right angles to each other (see Fig. 13),
one axis pointing high N.E. to observe the clock-star--the worship of
Set--the other low N.W. to observe either the sun by itself, or in
association with some important star of the same declination as the sun.
The temples of Mut and Menu (or Min), and of Amen, with the associated
temple M. of Lepsius, at Karnak, are the best extant examples of this
principle of temple building.
There is evidence that both at Annu and Memphis the same principle was
followed, but at Annu one obelisk alone remains, and at Memphis one
temple; from these, however, Captain Lyons and myself have obtained
sufficient data to enable the original directions of the temple-systems
to be gathered.
At Denderah, if such a N.W. temple ever existed it has disappeared, but
as the monument stands there are still two temples at right angles to
each other, but the second one faces S.E. instead of N.W.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account