- Statistical analysis of the resultant data-set shows that there are consistent patterns of relationship between these ritual horizons and basic astronomy.
- Places were sacred because they had a usefully harmonious relationship between earth and heaven.
Visual recognition of horizon shapes and how they have been fitted to luni-solar patterns is an important step in understanding prehistoric techniques. Learn to see that as you move within the landscape you change the shape of the horizon and its relationship with the sky.
Reverse engineering an ancient practical skill that was part empirical science, part religion and part art requires that we put aside our own preconceptions and learn to see the world in different ways. Our goal is to re-discover the original criteria for assessing each ancient sacred place and to score them for both technical achievement and artistic merit.
This research has been done with theodolite and camera. While not perfect, the results are generally both accurate and fairly precise [Technical Notes]. Indeed, these horizon profiles are much better than current computer generated horizon models, especially at shorter horizon distances. Despite modern conceptions, the configuration of even very local horizons was important to prehistoric people and the average human eye can distinguish differences of one second of arc. Therefore we must aim for at least that level of precision for all horizon distances in our research. An additional benefit of the photographic technique is that it shows the whole landscape rather than just the horizon. Thus it becomes possible to see that, for our ancient ancestors, it was not just about axial alignments, nor even the whole horizon but actually it was about the whole lie of the landscape and its relationship with the sky; the sun & moon in particular.
The Prehistoric Solar & Lunar Calendars explain the theoretical models used to divide the luni-solar cycles and draw their trajectories but to summarise:
- The pictures show views from monuments with the horizon accurately fitted to survey data.
- Luni-solar trajectories for the appropriate prehistoric period have been added.
- Orange Solar trajectories split the tropical year into 48 "Tweeks" (7.6 day mean) that are better regarded as quarter-months.
- Solid Blue Lunar lines split cyclical lunistice position variation into 16 periods of about 14 months each.
- Lunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month.
See just how well the heavenly pattern has been fitted to the earthly one at every site.