Thursday 21 December 2017

Turning point at the solstice stones


The north east of Scotland is rich in neolithic monuments, and in particular there are many hundreds of stone circles and standing stones.  One particular type of circle, the recumbent circle is found only here in Aberdeenshire (nearly 100 examples) and some in the south west of Ireland. 

One of the nearest circles to home is also one of the more complete examples, at Cothiemuir Hill.  I've written about this circle previously here and here, and I continue to find the place absolutely compelling.  Now within a wood, the circle is on a low hill and would have had good open views during its period of use around 2700-2500 BC.





The 2.9 metre tall west flanker is aligned precisely to the midwinter moon when viewed from the centre of the circle.  This is the orientation of almost all the recumbent circles, so it's no coincidence. Even more remarkably, the alignment is designed to frame the standstill moon which occurs every 18.6 years....how did the neolithic people calculate this?!  The movement of the setting sun seems also to have played a part in the alignment, and I've tried to recreate this by taking an image offset from the centre of the circle a few days before the winter solstice.

It really isn't difficult to imagine the people who built this sophisticated and massive undertaking marking out the days shortening, recording the apparent two day standstill at the solstice, and then the slow lengthening of the days as the year is reborn.  Nor is it hard to empathise with why this mattered to them so much.

We try to visit as close to the winter solstice as we can, not from any new-age belief, just from a simple, instinctive feeling that this is their time in the year.

6 comments:

  1. We remember well the afternoon that you took us to visit the stones, Ian. What a marvellous site. I just checked the sunrise time for today, December 21, here in Kyleakin. It says 0902. BUT, when I check to see when the days will begin to lengthen, it is not until January 3rd! Have I missed something all these years, thinking that the days will lengthen within a day or two of the winter solstice? Scratching my head, and wondering...

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  2. Interesting point Duncan! Even if the sunrise doesn't change at first, the setting of the sun will be later the coming days. Very slowly but steadily...

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  3. I found this helpful to understanding a lunar standstill and a solstice:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_standstill
    Brighter times ahead!

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    1. Thanks Leif, very useful links! It is a strange thing that the sunrise time actually gets a minute later after the soltice, but the sunset times do get a little later after the 21st

      :o)

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  4. You are certainly in the perfect area if you like stone circles and snow together. Nice photos. You probably already know about Gobekli Tepe, the world's first stone temple/ circles created around 12,000 years ago, but I didn't until I watched a recent programme about this site in Turkey and found it fascinating. Thought it might interest you with your passion for them if you haven't seen it. Softer stone so elaborately carved with various animals. Merry Christmas when it comes.

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    1. Thaks for this Bob, I didn't know about those but will do some research; fascinating stuff. A very happy Christmas to you too!

      Kind Regards

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