Ancient ruins commemorate the winter solstice

Scientific

We will probably never know the specific beliefs and rituals that inspired Maeshu’s tomb. But it is nevertheless possible to understand the enormous significance of the winter solstice as “midnight of the year,” as the darkest moment on the calendar and the pivot of the next six months of greater illumination. It was a moment of death and rebirth, a reminder of the cyclical nature of time.

In the deep past, understanding the signs of the natural clockwork – including reversals – was a matter of survival. For example, predicting recurring patterns of animal migration can aid in successful hunting and fishing. Knowing when the climate is likely to change means being able to adapt and survive. In pre-agricultural societies, it helped people anticipate the availability and location of roots, nuts, and edible plants.

After the introduction of agriculture, around 9000 BC, it was necessary – for successful cultivation and harvesting – to anticipate the timing of seasonal changes. Monuments that kept time had practical value, but they also likely embodied Neolithic spiritual beliefs as well, with the winter solstice being of particular importance. This very ancient recognition of the importance of the coup resonates even in the modern world. The word “Yule”, now associated with the winter holiday period, is derived from the historic Scandinavian festival Joel, Which existed around the winter solstice. Modern Christmas traditions are reminiscent of past midwinter celebrations such as the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, which included feasting and gift-giving. The solstice is still recognized in hundreds of traditions around the world, such as the Inca celebration of Inti Raymi, and the Dōngzhì Festival in China.

“The sublime force of nature”

Besides the Maeshu tomb, archaeologists have discovered dozens of Neolithic monuments that stare directly at the sun during the winter solstice. There is Stonehenge (England), whose longest trilithon surrounds the setting sun; Newgrange (Ireland), which has a passage aligned with the sunrise on this auspicious day; and the standing stones in Callanish (Outer Hebrides) which create similar solar sight lines. In Brittany, northwestern France La Roche Ox fees: A rock passage built of 41 stone blocks, some of which weigh more than 40 tons (40,000 kg). At sunrise on the winter solstice, it breathes its annual dose of refreshing midwinter light. Legends once told that fairies built this shrine over the course of a single night, but it is actually a dolmen (cemetery) created by Neolithic architects around 2750 BC.