Winter Solstice 2008 at Newgrange-Dec21st.

Antaletriangle · 12-15-2008, 02:47 PM

Passage Grave in Co. Meath. Open daily, with ghttp://archaeology.about.com/b/2008/12/13/winter-solstice-2008-at-newgrange.htm
Mark your calendars—next weekend is the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. After that, the days will be getting longer, although this year it certainly doesn't always seem possible that things really could change.

Guided tours in summer, this remarkable tomb has been degraded by “restoration” and by its status as one of Ireland’s top three tourist attractions and the only prehistoric tomb that most visitors to – and natives of - Ireland can be bothered to see.

Under the pressure of coachloads, the casually curious, and the faintly-inquisitive, not to mention the fatuously ver-restored façade, it has lost all its atmosphere. To this extent it is in a far worse state than Stonehenge. Books and photographs “explaining” it can be bought on site – and there are many websites doing much the same.

Around the tomb is a free-standing circle of stones erected after the tomb by late-Neolithic “Beaker-people” from Northern Britain, who also built a smaller circle at Ballynoe in county Down. Twelve out of an original 35 survive. There are also satellite-tombs, some of which have also been excavated.

~ Slightly over 1 km NW of Newgrange is the even more complex, marvellous and even more pillaged tomb of Knowth, also with satellite tombs. It is due to be sold to mass-tourism in the same way as Newgrange - and the less said about allegations of manufacturing and altering archæological evidence the better.

Fortunately for us skeptics, just like last year, the Irish Office of Public Works (OPW) will be webcasting again from the megalithic tomb of Newgrange in Ireland, Sunday morning, December 21, 2008, from 8:30 to 9:30 am GMT. Sunrise is at 8.58 am, but the sun creeping slowly into the passageway into the depths of the 5,200-year-old Newgrange tomb is a sight to be seen.

If you can't get up that early (or late, as the case may be), archaeoastronomer Victor Reijs made an compressed video of last year's OPW webcast. The six minute video combines two images from the passageway inside of the tomb, one of the sunrise from the top of the tomb, and one from the chamber ceiling. Music by Clannad.

Michael at Knowth.com reports that over 300,000 people watched the sunrise via the Internet last year, and we swamped the server, so this year they've increased the capacity.
http://www.newgrange.com/webcast_08.htm
Below 2007 sunrise.Music clannad,magical ring.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KNVIw061vJ4

12-15-2008, 02:47 PM	#1
Antaletriangle Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: U.K. Posts: 3,380	Winter Solstice 2008 at Newgrange-Dec21st. Passage Grave in Co. Meath. Open daily, with ghttp://archaeology.about.com/b/2008/12/13/winter-solstice-2008-at-newgrange.htm Mark your calendars—next weekend is the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. After that, the days will be getting longer, although this year it certainly doesn't always seem possible that things really could change. Guided tours in summer, this remarkable tomb has been degraded by “restoration” and by its status as one of Ireland’s top three tourist attractions and the only prehistoric tomb that most visitors to – and natives of - Ireland can be bothered to see. Under the pressure of coachloads, the casually curious, and the faintly-inquisitive, not to mention the fatuously ver-restored façade, it has lost all its atmosphere. To this extent it is in a far worse state than Stonehenge. Books and photographs “explaining” it can be bought on site – and there are many websites doing much the same. Around the tomb is a free-standing circle of stones erected after the tomb by late-Neolithic “Beaker-people” from Northern Britain, who also built a smaller circle at Ballynoe in county Down. Twelve out of an original 35 survive. There are also satellite-tombs, some of which have also been excavated. ~ Slightly over 1 km NW of Newgrange is the even more complex, marvellous and even more pillaged tomb of Knowth, also with satellite tombs. It is due to be sold to mass-tourism in the same way as Newgrange - and the less said about allegations of manufacturing and altering archæological evidence the better. Fortunately for us skeptics, just like last year, the Irish Office of Public Works (OPW) will be webcasting again from the megalithic tomb of Newgrange in Ireland, Sunday morning, December 21, 2008, from 8:30 to 9:30 am GMT. Sunrise is at 8.58 am, but the sun creeping slowly into the passageway into the depths of the 5,200-year-old Newgrange tomb is a sight to be seen. If you can't get up that early (or late, as the case may be), archaeoastronomer Victor Reijs made an compressed video of last year's OPW webcast. The six minute video combines two images from the passageway inside of the tomb, one of the sunrise from the top of the tomb, and one from the chamber ceiling. Music by Clannad. Michael at Knowth.com reports that over 300,000 people watched the sunrise via the Internet last year, and we swamped the server, so this year they've increased the capacity. http://www.newgrange.com/webcast_08.htm Below 2007 sunrise.Music clannad,magical ring. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KNVIw061vJ4