Symbols were initially created for a specific reason by one culture—a sailing/navigation culture. Over time, the symbols, if significant, evolved in both shape and meaning by the victorious cultures. Keep in mind that Ireland always had invaders who came and left.
There are two kinds of writing: pictograms (glyphs), where a single symbol represents an object, and an alphabet, where a group of symbols forms a word that represents an object or idea. At 3200 BCE, only pictograms existed in Ireland, so the Irish symbols represented objects or concepts.
The transfer of language pictograms to Ireland was probably accomplished by the seafarers in the fourth BCE millennium from the Eastern Mediterranean cultures, primarily the Nile Dynasty cultures. The alphabet grouping was initially developed in Sumeria around 3500 BCE in the Ur region of Mesopotamia but did not arrive in Europe until around 2000 BCE.
There is a high degree of similarity between the Irish symbols and the Eastern Mediterranean symbols, which always raises the question concerning the independent development of the symbols. From a seafaring perspective, the symbols were not independent because they represented the connections between the customers and the suppliers of metals.
Basic Irish Symbols
The following symbols, seen in Figure 5-1, are the basic symbols found on the Irish kerbstones, Reference 7, www.innertraditions.com.
Figure 5-1: Summary of basic megalithic symbols in Ireland (Reference 7)
1. A dot is a location of importance, a center, a circumpunct, and marked with a standing stone. A dot generates a shadow when a bright celestial body shines on the dot, a standing stone.
2. The crossed lines usually indicate two axes, north-south/east-west. One line is generated by connecting two dots.
3. The circle represents a location or a celestial body—for example, the sun.
4. The diamond represents the sun’s shadow pattern generated by shadows from two standing stones, as seen in Figure 5-2.
Figure 5-2: The diamond pattern formed from the sun’s shadow (Reference 62)
The shape of a diamond represents the sun-shadow latitude for a specific location. The upper two shadow lines are formed at the winter solstice, when the sun rises from the east and sets in the west. The lower two shadow lines are formed at the summer solstice, when the sun rises from the east and sets in the west. At the spring and fall equinoxes, the sun’s shadow forms a straight line from east to west.
5. The crescent represents a semicircle, the sun’s path, the moon, the moon’s path, the moon in the various moon phases, and Venus when Venus disappears for fifty days between the Evening Star and the Morning Star phases. See Chapter 7 for details. A crescent also represents a mound with a passageway or a house.
6. The zigzag represents the Irish counting device, where each angle is a count of one. A zigzag also refers to water ripples.
7. The curved zigzag is also a counting device, where the counting may be on water.
8. The spiral has a center, a number of rings, and the outer opening. It can represent several objects: a beginning, an end, the sun, a safe shelter, and a harbor. A single spiral is usually on a calendar stone.
9. The oval represents a variation of the circle, an egg, or a cartouche. It is a shape of some mounds. An oval may represent the moon to differentiate from the circle for the sun. It can also represent the sun solstice without having the top rounded, but just a straight line. An oval usually has its main axis in the east-west direction.
There are hundreds of kerbstones in Ireland, displaying these megalithic symbols. These stones are found surrounding the mounds and in the passageways of the mounds. Most have been shown to be astronomically oriented. The astronomy is further reinforced by the presence of engraved sundials, calendars, and other celestial imagery (see Chapter 8).
Combination of Basic Symbols
The basic symbols are further developed in this section when they are combined to form geometric shapes. Eventually, the combined symbols form the letters of alphabet systems.
1. Dots
One dot becomes two dots and then many dots. Connecting two dots becomes a line and a line of sailing position. Connecting three dots becomes a triangle. A sailing line of position, or a “fix” for a location, is generated from three dots. Combining many dots—the stars—generates shapes, and names are created to identify the shapes. Geometries are formed with specific angles between the lines. Our current numbering system is based on the number of shaped angles (see Figure A-2).
A dot with radial rays, four, six, or eight lines, indicates various sun and moon shadows.
Two dots, cups, become the symbol for two opposite cardinal positions: north and south.
Three dots in a row create the symbol for metal.
Multiple dots, or cup marks, usually are an indication of open mining activity.
2. Crossed Lines: + and X
Two sets of crossed lines can occur: one for the main axis and one for the sun shadow solstices (eight radial lines).
Three sets of crossed lines can occur: one for the main axis, one for the sun shadow solstices, and one for the moon shadow extremes (twelve radial lines).
Crossed lines sometimes are found inside a circle.
The crossed lines take on meaning when related to the sun or other celestial bodies. A horizontal line becomes a horizon, or east and west. A vertical line becomes up and down, heaven and hell, or north and south. A cross symbolizes the Northern Cross or the Southern Cross for navigation purposes.
Two crossed lines can represent one sun year.
A dot with eight radial lines usually indicates the sun.
3. Circles
A circle with a dot indicates a place of importance and one that needs protection.
A circle with a dot center also becomes the symbol for the sun.
A circle with radial lines with dots between the lines may represent a stone circle with the solstices.
A circle with crossed lines inside is a stone circle with shadows.
Concentric circles indicate more important locations.
A circle on top of a cross is the sign for Venus and copper.
A circle in a shape of a rose petal on top of the crossbars is an ankh, a symbol of life.
4. Diamonds
Concentric diamonds represent a location where latitude is very important.
A diamond, inside of a circle, is the sun-shadow latitude for a specific stone circle.
Multiple diamonds in a row, or stacked diamonds, indicate multiple latitudes.
Multiple diamonds with the same shape, in a row—usually a total of eight—represent eight sun years, which is associated with the five Venus years.
Multiple diamonds are a sun-year counting device, with one diamond being one year.
5. Crescents
A crescent surrounding a circle usually means the moon and the sun.
A crescent on either side of a circle refers to elliptical moon phases relative to the sun.
Multiple crescents in a line act as a moon-cycle counting device.
The same comments for the moon crescent can be made for Venus, where the crescent is the rose petal.
Two crescents surrounding a circle indicate the combination of the sun, moon, and Venus.
A crescent in a rectangular shape with an opening is a symbol for a house.
At least 50 percent of the stones have both a circle and a crescent carved on them, indicating a relationship between them.
6. Zigzags
Multiple zigzags refer to seas and oceans.
Multiple zigzags surrounded by a rectangle represent a lake. This implies that unbounded multiple zigzags refer to ocean travel.
A zigzag between, or close to, two circles refers to a trip time between two locations.
A zigzag inside a diamond represents days of travel.
7. Curved Zigzags
Curved zigzags occur in the kerbstones more frequently than the straight-angled zigzags.
Curved zigzags can be connected
to regular zigzags and may indicate travel on both water and land.
A circle connected to a wavy zigzag is a location connected to a river.
The meanings are the same as for the zigzag comments, except for the possibility that the curved zigzags may refer to water travel versus land travel.
8. Spirals
A double spiral usually represents two locations.
Two connected spirals also represent the sun’s pattern of its shadow at noon throughout the year (see Figure 5-3, Reference 7).
Figure 5-3: Double spiral pattern from the sun’s shadow at noon over one year
This double spiral actually acts as a year calendar (e.g., a nine-month calendar would be represented as an alpha).
Two spirals are used to connect two harbors and may indicate the direction into and out of each harbor.
Stones having two spirals usually have two cup-marked dots near the spirals on the stone.
Stones having two spirals and two dots usually have two diamonds. In other words, there are two harbors with two latitudes with a north-south axis.
Multiple spirals on a stone refer to multiple locations, principally harbors, where there is an in and an out—in other words, a map. The key to the map is to determine north and south—two dots. A stone with multiple spirals usually has a wavy contour, indicating a coastline, for orientation purposes.
9. Oval
An oval or ellipse usually has symbols inside of the oval.
Ovals that are more heart-shaped could indicate a Venus rose petal.
Combining an oval with a rose petal represents the sun and Venus or the moon and Venus.
Multiple concentric ovals represent an important location. Sometimes the concentric nature of the symbol meant a mound on a hill, the number of levels of the mound, or a mound with stone circles surrounding the mound.
Ovals with a number of circles within them may refer to the tracking of the sun or moon.
An oval cartouche is the symbol for king or pharaoh, with the name symbolized inside the cartouche. A cartouche has two curved ends with straight lines connecting the curved ends. This is the same shape as the sun’s shadows, forming the two end curves for the morning and evening settings of the sun. Instead of completing the circle, two lines connect the extreme shadows.
There are ovals, or cartouches, with three dots (metals) inside. This represents an important person related to metal.
Rotations of the Combinations of the Basic Symbols
For most all kerbstones that represent a map, east is up, so a ninety-degree clockwise rotation is mandatory. This is a major observation, which most historians overlook. All maps until at least the 1600 CE had east as up.
Keep in mind that the earth is rotating which creates the visual observations that the stars are rotating.
1. Dots
Always connect the dots to observe a pattern, and then rotate to the north-south axis.
Some connected dots formed objects, crosses, or animals. The objects would then rotate in the night sky.
Some objects did not rotate during the night and were stationary.
Some connected dots simply disappeared for some period of time.
Some shapes had the same angles as they rotated; some changed angles during the rotation.
Some dots appeared but vanished in the light of the day.
2. Crossed Lines +
The + and X are formed by connecting dots, which need four dots.
Rotating the + forms an X.
The angle of the X relates to the sun shadows at different latitudes. The X becomes horizontal at the equator and vertical at the North Pole.
Measuring the amount of rotation from a fixed axis became important to the seafarers, for it measured latitude. The X changed shapes, depending on the location’s latitude.
Rotation of the crossed lines to different angles relative to the east-west axis measures different calendar days.
3. Circles
A circle is a circle!
The sun rotates from east to west daily and changes arc sizes.
Partial circles, or arcs, are formed when the shadow stops rotating in one direction and reverses itself.
Partial circles having the opposite arcs connected with a line form a cartouche.
A circle, like the sun, rotates from morning to evening forming an arc, or a semicircle.
Concentric semicircles indicate the sun’s arc at various times during the year: the lowest arc being at the winter solstice and the highest arc at the summer solstice.
The semicircle arc for the sun and the moon disappears daily.
Sometimes, but rarely, the sun or the moon will disappear and reappear in a short time period: an eclipse.
Some stars could be tracked but would disappear for many days, Venus for fifty days.
Some circles (stars) were brighter than other circles (stars).
Some circles (stars) did not rotate.
Other connected dots, or objects, would rotate around a fixed star.
4. Diamonds
Rotation of a diamond to the north-south axis as up is needed.
The diamond shape increases going north and decreases going south, as it should, because it measures the sun-shadow latitude for that location.
Grid patterns of multiple diamonds and triangles are generated.
5. Crescents
The moon rotates and has different shapes for the different moon cycles.
The Horn of Venus is a crescent with the opening on the top.
Venus’s rose pattern would rotate clockwise or counterclockwise from the Rose Line depending on longitude.
Two crescents rotated at different angles are probably the moon and Venus.
Two crescents rotated at different angles surrounding a circle are probably the sun, the moon, and Venus.
6. Zigzags
Always rotate the kerbstone to the north-south axis and then observe the direction of the zigzag.
7. Curved Zigzags
Rotation to the north-south axis of the stone is needed to observe the curved zigzag patterns relative to the coastlines on the implied map.
8. Spirals
Spirals have either a counterclockwise or clockwise rotation.
A retrograde rotation occurs when a spiral starts either way and then reverses the spiral.
The line connecting the center and spiral end indicates a direction of entry.
Different rotations of the spiral end relative to an axis occurs.
Two connected spirals can be present with different or the same rotations.
Three spirals can be connected but have different rotations.
9. Ovals
Ovals can appear in sets of two and three. Connecting the oval centers forms lines or triangles. The triangles have angles and need to be measured.
Rotate ovals to the north-south axis. The main axis of the oval may indicate the east-west axis.
The basic Irish symbols tend to be universal since they are found throughout the world in what we think are diverse world societies. For example, some of the above symbols are found in Sumerian symbols dating back to 4000 CE.
Figure 5-4 shows some Sumerian symbols: Sumerian elamite inscriptions (Reference 61).
Look familiar? One could entertain the thought that maybe, if the navigation skills were similar, a common ancient maritime capability sailed the world since the basic symbols tend to be universal. Keep in mind that all invaders of Ireland came from the seas and were part of major trading routes and, probably, had a common navigation language other than oral traditions. These basic symbols were the foundation of the alphabets of the seafaring cultures.
Conclusions
An understanding of the basic Irish symbols, their combinations, and their rotations is essential for the decoding process. Serious decoding of the symbols carved on the Irish stones and designed into the mounds can occur when a seafaring perspective to the meaning of the symbols is understood. Equal emphasis and understanding of the sun, the moon, and
Venus cycles and shapes are absolutely necessary for decoding the Irish symbols.
From a seafarer’s perspective, the above basic Irish symbols and their combinations and rotations support the seafarer’s checklist:
Where am I? One dot, spiral harbor
Where am I going? Two dots, two spiral harbors; two dots for the north-south axis
Why am I going? Three dots, trader in metals
How will I get there? Boat navigation, knowing and counting the angles, Xs, and diamonds
How long will it take? Counting, zigzags, and sun, moon, and Venus cycles
Will I, or someone, return? Yes, when the seafarer returns, the information is carved into stones and mounds.
The shadows know latitude and longitude, and the Neolithic seafarers knew how to code and decode the Irish symbols. An old Latin proverb says, “The shadows teach.”
• • •
Chapter 6:
HOW: Navigation Tools
The seafarers’ tools for navigation in 3200 BCE still work today.
The seafarers in 3200 BCE did not have an alphabet or written language. They did have symbols to enable counting and measurement of angles, as described in Chapter 5. The mathematics associated with the counting and measurements are developed in Appendix D.
Navigation only needs counting and angles to determine a location or line of position (LOP). However, tools are needed to accomplish the counting and measurement of angles. The seafarers’ tools are
Device to count
Device to measure angles
Grid with an axis
Clocks to measure time
Logbook to record symbols
Map grid for multiple locations
Device to be used in cloudy weather
Boat with the above built into it
Pillar: Device to Count
A djed pillar was used to count. The pillar usually had four disks on the top half. There were five horizontal lines between each disk. Some pillars had vertical lines between the disks. Some pillars had five horizontal lines below the lower disk. The height of a disk was the same as the space between the disks. So each disk would represent a five count. Thus, a forty count would be represented by the upper portion of the pillar: four sets of ten. Fifty is five tens.
A Seafarer's Decoding of the Irish Symbols Page 6