gardom's edge standing stone (inset). new evidence that a 4000-year-old monolith, thought to have been erected by neolithic people around 2000BC, was aligned as an astronomical marker. the 2.2 meter high monument, located in the peak district national park, has a striking, right-angled triangular shape that slants up towards geographic south. the orientation and inclination of the slope is aligned to the altitude of the sun at mid-summer. it is thought to be a marker for a social arena for seasonal gatherings, 3d computer analysis have been use to calculate the seasons four millennia ago, given the changes in the earths axis. this showed that the slanted side of the stone would remain in permanent shadow during the winter, while it would have been illuminated only in the morning and afternoon during most of the summer. at midsummer. solar projection in monuments of this period is quite rare in the british isles, new grange, in ireland, and some clava cairns in scotland being notable exceptions. given the proximity of the neolithic enclosure and possible ritual importance of this site, the gardom's edge monolith could be another such example…

By rexhenry / June 24, 2021 / montage / No Comments

gardom's edge standing stone (inset). new evidence that a 4000-year-old monolith, thought to have been erected by neolithic people around 2000BC, was aligned as an astronomical marker. the 2.2 meter high monument, located in the peak district national park, has a striking, right-angled triangular shape that slants up towards geographic south. the orientation and inclination of the slope is aligned to the altitude of the sun at mid-summer. it is thought to be a marker for a social arena for seasonal gatherings, 3d computer analysis have been use to calculate the seasons four millennia ago, given the changes in the earths axis. this showed that the slanted side of the stone would remain in permanent shadow during the winter, while it would have been illuminated only in the morning and afternoon during most of the summer. at midsummer. solar projection in monuments of this period is quite rare in the british isles, new grange, in ireland, and some clava cairns in scotland being notable exceptions. given the proximity of the neolithic enclosure and possible ritual importance of this site, the gardom's edge monolith could be another such example...