Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- PREFACE
- LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
- INVITED PAPERS
- CONTRIBUTED PAPERS
- A SURVEY OF THE BARBROOK STONE CIRCLES AND THEIR CLAIMED ASTRONOMICAL ALIGNMENTS
- OBSERVATIONS AT KINTRAW
- DECODING THE CALLANISH COMPLEX - A PROGRESS REPORT
- ASTRONOMY AND STONE ALIGNMENTS IN S.W. IRELAND
- STONE RINGS OF NORTHERN POLAND
- ASTRONOMICAL ORIENTATION OF NEOLITHIC SITES IN CENTRAL EUROPE
- STONE CIRCLE GEOMETRIES: AN INFORMATION THEORY APPROACH
- INVITED PAPER
- INDEX
OBSERVATIONS AT KINTRAW
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- PREFACE
- LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
- INVITED PAPERS
- CONTRIBUTED PAPERS
- A SURVEY OF THE BARBROOK STONE CIRCLES AND THEIR CLAIMED ASTRONOMICAL ALIGNMENTS
- OBSERVATIONS AT KINTRAW
- DECODING THE CALLANISH COMPLEX - A PROGRESS REPORT
- ASTRONOMY AND STONE ALIGNMENTS IN S.W. IRELAND
- STONE RINGS OF NORTHERN POLAND
- ASTRONOMICAL ORIENTATION OF NEOLITHIC SITES IN CENTRAL EUROPE
- STONE CIRCLE GEOMETRIES: AN INFORMATION THEORY APPROACH
- INVITED PAPER
- INDEX
Summary
Abstract. We have made six visits to the Kintraw site which has been claimed by Professor Alexander Thom as a prehistoric astronomical observatory used for the detection of the midwinter solstice. This claim has been disputed on several grounds, notably that the foresight is not visible from the backsight on the ledge overlooking the menhir. From the results of our observations at the backsight we contend that this particular dispute is easily resolved. Other work done by us on the ledge indicates that it could not have been used as an observation platform to determine the exact day of the midwinter solstice.
Of the many megalithic sites claimed by Professor Thom as remains of prehistoric observatories none has proved more contentious than the proposed midwinter solstitial site at Kintraw (A. Thom 1971, pp.37–40). This consists of cairns and a menhir which Thom claims indicates a horizon foresight, the col between Beinn Shiantaidh and Beinn a' Chaolais on the island of Jura, 45 km away. Since the view of this col from the area around the menhir is partially blocked by the intervening ridge of Dun Arnal, Thom suggests that preliminary observations were made from a ledge on a hillside to the north east of the site, and overlooking it. It is the question of the validity of this claim which has produced such a vigorous debate (MacKie 1976, 1981. Patrick 1981).
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- Archaeoastronomy in the Old World , pp. 183 - 190Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1982