Philosophy
Sunduki in Siberia may be oldest human observatory in history
Russian scientist claims to have found evidence of crude solar calendars
Ancients 'used landscape to record time'
by
Sam Webb
April 22nd, 2013
MailOnline
A Russian scientist believes a remote Siberian rock formation may be the first place that humanity began to follow the movements of the heavens.
Sunduki, known as the Siberian Stonehenge, is a series of eight sandstone outcrops on a remote flood plain on the bank of the Bely Iyus river in the republic of Khakassia.
Professor Vitaly Larichev, of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography at the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, claims that the 16,000-year-old site was not only a place of huge religious significance in the ancient world, but also its stargazing capital.
Each of the eight peaks are have stones like giant boxes or chests perched on top. The word 'Sunduk' in Russian means 'chest' or 'trunk' which explains how the place got its modern name.
'For many years I tried to unravel these mystery 'chests', said Professor Larichev, who became an 'astro-archeologist' in his bid to unravel the site's mysteries.
'We don't dig in the ground - we study what ancient people knew about astronomy', he said.
'What I discovered was a surprise even to myself. Comparing maps accumulated over many years of astronomical observations, I came to understand that here in Sunduki, we can see the oldest astronomical observatory, certainly in Asia.
'Its age is about 16,000 years old. The ancient inhabitants of this valley daily observed the sunset, the sunrise and the moon'.
By contrast 3,500 years ago that the first known sundials came into existence, found by archeologists in ancient Egypt.
Yet the professor thinks these ancient Siberian astronomers, without any instruments, used giant rocks and chinks in the stone architecture in the landscape for their calculations and observations.
He claims to have found 'numerous ancient solar and lunar observatories around Sunduki'.
Speaking to the Siberian Times, he said: 'This square pattern of stones on the ground shows you the place.
'I knew there would be an orientation point, but we had to search through the grass for a long time to find it.
'Now look up to the top of that ridge. You see a place where there is a crack between the rocks?
'If you were here on the summer solstice, you would see the sun rise right there. Or you would if you were here 2,000 years so. Now the timing is slightly different'.
High on one cliff wall is a rock engraving showing dragon heads pointing in one direction, and snake heads the other, something ancient people would have used to tell the time by using the sun.
Professor Larichev added: 'In the morning the shadow moves along the snake's body from his head to his tail, and in the afternoon it comes from the other direction along the dragon.
'From the same observation point you can determine true north and south by sighting along the mountains.'
There is also rock art at the site and a mysterious white horse symbol found not far from the first 'chest' may have appeared 16,000 years ago, during the Ice Age.
But the site has not yielded all its mysteries. There are also burial mounds and other man-made constructions - including irrigation channels - which have yet to be fully explored by archaeologists.
- Solar Towers Of Chankillo
"Ancient Solar Observatory Discovered" by Sara Goudarzi March 1st, 2007 Space.Ref The oldest solar observatory in the Americas has been discovered in coastal Peru, archeologists announced today.The 2,300-year-old ceremonial complex featured the Towers...
- Summer Solstice
An excuse to drink and get naked. "New Agers, neo-pagans see Stonehenge solstice" Thousands wait for dawn at the Heel Stone, a pillar just outside the circle, which aligns with the rising sun. June 21st, 2010 latimes.com Thousands of New Agers and neo-pagans...
- Gerald S. Hawkins...stonehenge
Gerald S. Hawkins April 20th, 1928 to 26 May 26th, 2003 Gerald Stanley Hawkins was an English astronomer and mathematician who identified Stonehenge to be a prehistoric astronomical observatory. He identified 165 key points in the Stonehenge complex...
- December 21st At About 8am...salisbury, England...see Ya There
Gather 'round ye pagans and Druids...or just the curious, for Monday the 21st of December around 8.09am for the Winter Solstice celebrations at Stonehenge in Salisbury, England. Festivities abound and nudity for the hardy--NOT. "Astronomers celebrate...
- Stanhengues...early Astronomy?...and New Digs
"Stanhengues": French term coined by 12th century chronicler Wace meaning "hanging stones"--that’s the earliest recorded reference to the megalith stone erections in Salisbury Plain Wiltshire, England. The mid 17th Century brought the first archeological...
Philosophy
Siberian Stonehenge...oldest ancient astronomy site?
"Is 'Siberian Stonehenge' really the birthplace of astronomy? Astonishing theory about remote spot 'used by stargazers 16,000 years ago'"
Sunduki in Siberia may be oldest human observatory in history
Russian scientist claims to have found evidence of crude solar calendars
Ancients 'used landscape to record time'
by
Sam Webb
April 22nd, 2013
MailOnline
A Russian scientist believes a remote Siberian rock formation may be the first place that humanity began to follow the movements of the heavens.
Sunduki, known as the Siberian Stonehenge, is a series of eight sandstone outcrops on a remote flood plain on the bank of the Bely Iyus river in the republic of Khakassia.
Professor Vitaly Larichev, of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography at the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, claims that the 16,000-year-old site was not only a place of huge religious significance in the ancient world, but also its stargazing capital.
Each of the eight peaks are have stones like giant boxes or chests perched on top. The word 'Sunduk' in Russian means 'chest' or 'trunk' which explains how the place got its modern name.
'For many years I tried to unravel these mystery 'chests', said Professor Larichev, who became an 'astro-archeologist' in his bid to unravel the site's mysteries.
'We don't dig in the ground - we study what ancient people knew about astronomy', he said.
'What I discovered was a surprise even to myself. Comparing maps accumulated over many years of astronomical observations, I came to understand that here in Sunduki, we can see the oldest astronomical observatory, certainly in Asia.
'Its age is about 16,000 years old. The ancient inhabitants of this valley daily observed the sunset, the sunrise and the moon'.
By contrast 3,500 years ago that the first known sundials came into existence, found by archeologists in ancient Egypt.
Yet the professor thinks these ancient Siberian astronomers, without any instruments, used giant rocks and chinks in the stone architecture in the landscape for their calculations and observations.
He claims to have found 'numerous ancient solar and lunar observatories around Sunduki'.
Speaking to the Siberian Times, he said: 'This square pattern of stones on the ground shows you the place.
'I knew there would be an orientation point, but we had to search through the grass for a long time to find it.
'Now look up to the top of that ridge. You see a place where there is a crack between the rocks?
'If you were here on the summer solstice, you would see the sun rise right there. Or you would if you were here 2,000 years so. Now the timing is slightly different'.
High on one cliff wall is a rock engraving showing dragon heads pointing in one direction, and snake heads the other, something ancient people would have used to tell the time by using the sun.
Professor Larichev added: 'In the morning the shadow moves along the snake's body from his head to his tail, and in the afternoon it comes from the other direction along the dragon.
'From the same observation point you can determine true north and south by sighting along the mountains.'
There is also rock art at the site and a mysterious white horse symbol found not far from the first 'chest' may have appeared 16,000 years ago, during the Ice Age.
But the site has not yielded all its mysteries. There are also burial mounds and other man-made constructions - including irrigation channels - which have yet to be fully explored by archaeologists.
- Solar Towers Of Chankillo
"Ancient Solar Observatory Discovered" by Sara Goudarzi March 1st, 2007 Space.Ref The oldest solar observatory in the Americas has been discovered in coastal Peru, archeologists announced today.The 2,300-year-old ceremonial complex featured the Towers...
- Summer Solstice
An excuse to drink and get naked. "New Agers, neo-pagans see Stonehenge solstice" Thousands wait for dawn at the Heel Stone, a pillar just outside the circle, which aligns with the rising sun. June 21st, 2010 latimes.com Thousands of New Agers and neo-pagans...
- Gerald S. Hawkins...stonehenge
Gerald S. Hawkins April 20th, 1928 to 26 May 26th, 2003 Gerald Stanley Hawkins was an English astronomer and mathematician who identified Stonehenge to be a prehistoric astronomical observatory. He identified 165 key points in the Stonehenge complex...
- December 21st At About 8am...salisbury, England...see Ya There
Gather 'round ye pagans and Druids...or just the curious, for Monday the 21st of December around 8.09am for the Winter Solstice celebrations at Stonehenge in Salisbury, England. Festivities abound and nudity for the hardy--NOT. "Astronomers celebrate...
- Stanhengues...early Astronomy?...and New Digs
"Stanhengues": French term coined by 12th century chronicler Wace meaning "hanging stones"--that’s the earliest recorded reference to the megalith stone erections in Salisbury Plain Wiltshire, England. The mid 17th Century brought the first archeological...