The Winter Solstice at Newgrange
December 20, 2024 1:03 AM Subscribe
At the prehistoric passage tomb of Newgrange, built around 3200 BCE, the light from the rising sun at the winter solstice shines along the 19m passage to the wall of the tomb, illuminating the triple spiral carvings. There is a livestream of the event from 8.40am on the 21st (I think that's 3.40am Eastern Standard Time and 12.40am PST). Last year's recording is here.
The National Museum of Ireland has a video (23 min) about the solstice and Newgrange.
Here is an article about the site, and another about its folklore. In 2019 there was a suggestion that the roofbox which allows the sunlight into the chamber was not original. This was crushed by experts, who pointed out that the feature can be seen in photographs from the 1930s.
New Light at Newgrange (10 min) is a film about the archaeology and architecture of the site, made with the Office of Public Works. Stephen Mandal talks about Newgrange for Teen Friends of Archaeology (59 min). Archaeoastronomer Frank Prendergast talks about the virtual landscape model he has built using Stellarium showing the sky from Newgrange (5 min).
There are photographs of the site at the Megalithic Portal.
Chris Thompson, on her podcast Story Archaeology, has an episode about the Irish Winter Solstice.
Newgrange previously on MetaFilter.
The National Museum of Ireland has a video (23 min) about the solstice and Newgrange.
Here is an article about the site, and another about its folklore. In 2019 there was a suggestion that the roofbox which allows the sunlight into the chamber was not original. This was crushed by experts, who pointed out that the feature can be seen in photographs from the 1930s.
New Light at Newgrange (10 min) is a film about the archaeology and architecture of the site, made with the Office of Public Works. Stephen Mandal talks about Newgrange for Teen Friends of Archaeology (59 min). Archaeoastronomer Frank Prendergast talks about the virtual landscape model he has built using Stellarium showing the sky from Newgrange (5 min).
There are photographs of the site at the Megalithic Portal.
Chris Thompson, on her podcast Story Archaeology, has an episode about the Irish Winter Solstice.
Newgrange previously on MetaFilter.
I really love the fact that they started doing the livestream from Newgrange, a few years ago. I hope that the weather plays along tomorrow morning, though I have to say that Clare Tuffy and Frank Prendergast manage to always find something interesting to talk about, even on the cloudy days!
The Amplify Archaeology podcast also had a 5 part miniseries with different experts - Prof. Muiris O'Sullivan, Dr. Jessica Smyth, Dr. Clare Tuffy, Dr. Robert Hensey and Prof. Gabriel Cooney as well as an episode on the winter solstice at Knockroe, (another passage tomb, though no longer covered over like Newgrange is).
posted by scorbet at 1:43 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
The Amplify Archaeology podcast also had a 5 part miniseries with different experts - Prof. Muiris O'Sullivan, Dr. Jessica Smyth, Dr. Clare Tuffy, Dr. Robert Hensey and Prof. Gabriel Cooney as well as an episode on the winter solstice at Knockroe, (another passage tomb, though no longer covered over like Newgrange is).
posted by scorbet at 1:43 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
For more links and deep dives, Mythical Ireland has a huge collection of resources. It's run by Anthony Murphy, who was also one of the people who discovered another henge while shooting aerial photography. So much of the findings around here are by amateur researchers. His writeup on how there is evidence that Newgrange not only tracked the solstice, but also the 19 year Metonic Cycle the moon follows (which is the time it takes for a full moon to appear in the exact same spot in the night sky).
Dowth Hall was also finally acquired by the state, which is crazy that up until a few years ago, the 420 acres surrounding a UNESCO World Heritage site was active farm land. Dowth Hall also being built on top of another passage tomb is prime fodder for a horror story.
I had a chance to visit and tour the inside of the tomb last summer and it is amazing. It gives me goosebumps thinking about how cool humans are as a species - and a humbling reminder we're no smarter than those who five thousand years ago in 'primitive' times. We just have more tools and more recorded knowledge at our disposal - but without them our brains will still figure out stuff like they always have, because we're really good at pattern matching and observation (and somewhat bad at risk assessment, letting our species take gambles that given enough of us, eventually pay off).
posted by mrzarquon at 3:34 AM on December 20 [3 favorites]
Dowth Hall was also finally acquired by the state, which is crazy that up until a few years ago, the 420 acres surrounding a UNESCO World Heritage site was active farm land. Dowth Hall also being built on top of another passage tomb is prime fodder for a horror story.
I had a chance to visit and tour the inside of the tomb last summer and it is amazing. It gives me goosebumps thinking about how cool humans are as a species - and a humbling reminder we're no smarter than those who five thousand years ago in 'primitive' times. We just have more tools and more recorded knowledge at our disposal - but without them our brains will still figure out stuff like they always have, because we're really good at pattern matching and observation (and somewhat bad at risk assessment, letting our species take gambles that given enough of us, eventually pay off).
posted by mrzarquon at 3:34 AM on December 20 [3 favorites]
Also I can't emphasize how big of a deal it is. There's a national lottery to win a chance to be in the passage tomb to witness it.
RTE, the website streaming this, is the state television network akin to the BBC. This is our much better alternative of the Royal Christmas Broadcast or whatever they do on the BBC this time of year.
posted by mrzarquon at 3:39 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
RTE, the website streaming this, is the state television network akin to the BBC. This is our much better alternative of the Royal Christmas Broadcast or whatever they do on the BBC this time of year.
posted by mrzarquon at 3:39 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]
We were there in the fall of 1987. There were no tourists and the guide took us through the tunnel to the carved rock depicting the spiral. It was a humbling experience.
posted by DJZouke at 5:26 AM on December 20
posted by DJZouke at 5:26 AM on December 20
Knockroe, is it? There are 47 "Knockroe" townlands [Smallest civil division in the Republic] in the Ireland. Our Knockroe is 50km NW from the one cited by scorbet above. Some claim that there is a megalithic portal tomb there also. But the smart money is on the "Giant's Table" being a flattish glacial erratic come to rest on some lumpier rocks. There def'n'y is a horse-shoe shaped carving on the top, though.
If you take a bearing through the open end of the C [Answer 125°] and consult an almanac, it is possible to determine when the sun rises at that point on the horizon. Answer: 16th January. Which is St Fursey's Day! St Fursey/Fursa was a minor Irish saint who proselytized in East England and Picardy. Since I made these calcs in 2021, I've been yomping up the hill to greet the sunrise from "St Fursey's Altar" on 16Jan. So far I am the only adherent of the Sect [I have his sandal!] but, in contrast to Newgrange, there is room for even 5,000 people [bring loaves, fishes] to mark sunrise on Lá Fhéile Fursa!
posted by BobTheScientist at 6:06 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
If you take a bearing through the open end of the C [Answer 125°] and consult an almanac, it is possible to determine when the sun rises at that point on the horizon. Answer: 16th January. Which is St Fursey's Day! St Fursey/Fursa was a minor Irish saint who proselytized in East England and Picardy. Since I made these calcs in 2021, I've been yomping up the hill to greet the sunrise from "St Fursey's Altar" on 16Jan. So far I am the only adherent of the Sect [I have his sandal!] but, in contrast to Newgrange, there is room for even 5,000 people [bring loaves, fishes] to mark sunrise on Lá Fhéile Fursa!
posted by BobTheScientist at 6:06 AM on December 20 [1 favorite]
There's a livestream from Stonehenge too, starting at 7.30 am.
posted by paduasoy at 3:18 PM on December 20
posted by paduasoy at 3:18 PM on December 20
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In other previouslies, I liked this solstice images thread.
posted by paduasoy at 1:05 AM on December 20 [2 favorites]