A Seafarer's Decoding of the Irish Symbols
Page 12
If the south passageway was an ankh sextant, going to a sun-shadow latitude of forty degrees and then going to a sun-shadow latitude of thirty-degrees, the seafarer would be going to Carnac, Brittany and then to Karnac on the Nile River, The thirty-/forty-degree triangle represents the Summer (navigation) Triangle, or Libra, the Balance.
The two passageways, coincidentally, have angles with the same sun-shadow latitudes for the Isle of Meroe and Carnac, Brittany. The north passageway has the same shape as the Northern Cross, and, with the additional right-side chambers, it has the same shape as the Summer (navigation) Triangle.
Reality or myth, math, and metaphor?
Knowth Mound
The Knowth Mound, Figure 9-9a (Reference 41) has an oval shape and was probably built before the Newgrange Mound.
Figure 9-9b: Knowth: top-down schematic of mound with two, Reference 61 (author’s annotations)
Figure 9-9c: Knowth: east, ring-cross passageway with larger right-side chamber
Figure 9a is a view of the Knowth Mound and the two passageways, east and west. Two large standing stones are outside each passageway. Figure 9-9b shows the east passageway.
Seafarer’s Viewpoint
East-west general orientation signifies that the Knowth Mound was aligned with the spring and fall equinoxes. There is a standing position stone outside each passageway. The east passageway has an eight-degree angle counterclockwise from due east. The west passageway has an eight-degree angle counterclockwise from due east for the first part of the passageway. The second part of the west passageway has a ten-degree clockwise rotation from the first part. The second part may represent an estimate of the east-west axis at 3200 BCE.
The east passageway, seen in Figure 9-9b, has a ring-cross design. There is about a thirty-degree angle from the top chamber to the right-side chamber. There is about a forty-degree angle from the top to the left-side chamber. The right chamber is longer than the left chamber. The left chamber is at a fourteen-degree angle from the center of the ring line to the right chamber (dotted lines in figure 9-9b). The ring cross and angles of the east passageway correspond to the Northern Cross, seen in Figure 7-10.
The three satellite mounds surrounding the main Knowth Mound form a forty-/thirty-degree triangle, Figure 9-9c. If the center of the Knowth Mound is used, the dotted triangle is a thirty-/fifty-degree triangle. The angle of the picture in Figure 9-9c gives a slight distortion to the measured angles and should actually be verified. These mounds may relate to the Summer (navigation) Triangle in a relationship to the spring and fall equinoxes. Sailing usually started on the first new moon after the spring equinox and ended after the fall equinox.
It appears that the Northern Cross was built into both the Dowth and Knowth mounds. It appears that the navigation triangle was built into the extended north passageway at Dowth and may have been built into the satellite mounds surrounding Knowth.
The east-west orientation of the Knowth Mound suggests a relationship to Venus, the Eastern Star, and the moon. Chapter 8 showed kerbstones having this relationship.
Newgrange Mound
Latitude: 53.7° N sun-shadow latitude, forty-three degrees north
Longitude: 6.5° W
The Newgrange Mound, Figure 9-10, is one of the best examples of megalithic mounds in Ireland and served as home for Irish royalty for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
Figure 9-10: Newgrange Mound—now and then (1950s) (References 61 and 41)
The white-quartz siding was a wonder to behold. The entrance to the passageway is stunning in its design with the light box and lintels. Figure 9-10 also shows Newgrange before the restoration, about 1950.
Figure 9-11a is the top-down schematic of the Newgrange Mound showing its heart-shape, rose-petal design (Reference 6).
Figure 9-11a: Newgrange, top-down schematic of the rose petal–shaped mound
Figure 9-11b: Newgrange, three-angled Northern Cross passageway with larger right-side chamber (Reference 61, author’s annotations)
Venus played a prominent role in the design of the Newgrange Mound. Figure 9-11b and 9-11c are the top and side views of the Newgrange passageway.
Seafarer’s Viewpoint
The Newgrange passageway is in the shape of the Northern Cross, as are the north passageway at Dowth and the east passageway of Knowth. The actual walking passageway goes uphill and then levels out. There are three parts in the shape of a zigzagzig in the walking passageway. The entrance part is at twenty degrees relative to north, and the second part is at forty-two degrees relative to north. The third top part is eight degrees clockwise from the second part, the main passageway.
The design angles for the chambers at Knowth are also observed at Newgrange: the left chamber is smaller; the right chamber is larger; there is about a thirty-degree angle from the top chamber to the left chamber; there is about a forty-degree angle from the top to the right chamber; and there is a thirteen-degree angle of the left chamber relative to the line connecting the ring center to the right chamber. In other words, the Northern Cross is the basic design of the Newgrange walking passageway.
The roof box passageway has a different angle because the roof-box passageway is aligned with the sun as well as Venus. The key design feature is that the roof box allows the sun to shine down its passageway on the winter solstice, December 21. The schematics are not clear, but the roof-box passageway is horizontal. The angle of the roof-box passageway has to be at forty-three degrees, relative to the east-west axis, or at forty-seven degrees, relative to north. The Newgrange latitude is 53.3° north, which is a sun-shadow latitude of forty-three degrees north. Thus, the winter solstice has to shine at a forty-three-degree angle at Newgrange. What is needed is an exact angle of the roof-box passageway to resolve this slight difference in angles. Figure 9-10 does visually indicate a different passsageway alignment to the walking passageway. The sun’s shadow knows the answer.
The Newgrange major chamber is rotated eight degrees clockwise from the main passageway. Because the ankh is the model for the passageway/chamber design, the “mysterious” clockwise rotation may indicate the rotation of Venus from the Rose Line. If this is the case, then the eight-degrees rotation is the same as Newgrange’s longitude, which is 6.5 degrees west plus two degrees for the Rose Line adjusment. Thus, the chamber predicts a longitude of 8.5 degrees west. This rotation also explains the angle in Knowth’s west passageway.
The seafarer builds into the passageway/chamber designs latitude (winter solstice) and longitude (Venus). It is up to us to find the symbols for counting and measuring the angles. The math uses the golden ratio for the conversion of sun-shadow latitudes to actual latitudes and is found in Appendix D. This is an amazing discovery!
The roof-box passageway is designed to have a level horizon. This is only needed if precise latitudes are to be calculated. Thus, the Newgrange passageway is related to the sun calculations for latitude. The roof-box passageway could also be used to provide water to the basins located in the inner chambers.
The lintel above the roof box has eight Xs (eight diamonds), as seen in Figure 9-12a, where each X (diamond) represents one solar year.
Figure 9-12a: Newgrange, entrance lintel showing the eight Xs for the eight sun years of the Venus cycle (Reference 41)
Figure 9-12b: Newgrange, passageway stone with the six stacked diamonds going from wider diamonds to narrower diamonds when rotated ninety degrees (Reference 61)
Extreme care was taken to carve the Xs. Each diamond in Figure 9-12a is close to a forty-five-degree angle relative to the major diamond axis. This represents the eight sun years having five Venus years. On December, 21, 2012, both the sun and Venus shone down on the light-box passageway. This occurs every eight years. Every 152 years, the sun, Venus, and the moon shine down the Newgrange roof-box passageway.
Figure 9-12b shows the stacked diamonds, representing sun-shadow latitudes from forty-five to thirty degrees. Because east is up, a rotation of Figure 9-12b ninety degrees clock
wise is required to get the north orientation. It appears that the latitudes range from about forty-five to thirty degrees north. These are the latitudes a Newgrange seafarer would sail if he or she were to return to the customers from the Nile River dynasties.
Conclusion
Detailed latitude and longitude measurements for Newgrange are built into the design features of the Newgrange Mound. The shadows from the sun, moon, and Venus are coded into the Newgrange Mound design.
The layout of the three major Boyne Valley mounds, Dowth, Knowth, and Newgrange is seen in Figure 9-13.
Figure 9-13: Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth Mounds with forty- and thirty-degree angles (Reference. 6)
The three mounds form a thirty-/forty-degree triangle. The passageways were built to represent the Northern Cross, which also has thirty- and forty-degree angles. The latitudes and longitudes were then built into the passageway designs of the mounds in the Boyne Valley but also for locations key to the trade routes in 3200 BCE.
If my assertion that Dowth and Knowth were built before Newgrange is correct, then the Newgrange Mound was located to form a thirty-/forty-degree triangle. This triangle may represent the Summer (navigation) Triangle for a particular time of the year or the constellation Libra, the Balance.
Dowth, Knowth, and Newgrange mounds have the ankh and the Northern Cross as key design architecture features as well as having angles representing the shadows from the sun, moon, and Venus on key calendar events.
The shadows know what is above is below.
Hill of Tara
Latitude: 53.6° N
Longitude: 6.61° W
The Hill of Tara, Figure 9-14a, was the seat of the high kings of Ireland from the times of the mythological Fir Bolg and Tuatha Dé Danaan.
This setting appeared to be very tranquil and peaceful with beautiful views. There were no large mounds or stone structures. However, I had the sense that they did exist at one time because there were many different-shaped foundations with grass. There was a feeling of royalty as if one was walking with the kings of the past.
Figure 9-14a: Hill of Tara (Reference 61)
Figure 9-14b: Stone of Destiny
Figure 9-14c: Hill of Tara, Mound of Hostages schematic (author’s annotations)
Early records attest that high kings were inaugurated there, and they symbolically married the goddess Maeve to acquire the high kingship. Atop the hill stands a stone pillar that was the Irish Stone of Destiny on which the high kings of Ireland were crowned (see Figure 9-14b).
One of these structures, Figure 9-14c, the Mound of the Hostages, has a short passage, which is aligned at an angle of thirty-three degrees from the east-west axis.
Figure 9-15a shows an earthen depression having a rose petal–shaped top and a passageway with a circular base. This shape looks like the south passageway of Dowth (Figure 9-7). The seventy-two-degree angle of the petal-shaped circle is an indication of the ankh shape and relates to Venus.
Figure 9-15a: Hill of Tara, rose-petal layout of covered stones (Reference 61)
Figure 9-15b has a rectangle at the north end, which is about ten degrees counterclockwise from north, if north is vertical in this picture.
Figure 9-15b: Hill of Tara, top view with rectangle north of the center stone (author’s annotations)
Mound T Loughcrew
Latitude: 53.7° N
Longitude: 7.11° W
Loughcrew megalithic site is located southeast of Newgrange and has many mounds and kerbstones with very detailed carvings on them.
Figure 9-16 shows the mounds of Loughcrew. The setting for these mounds is spectacular and majestic. The views in all directions are magnificent. I had the sense of being at a royal location overseeing the kingdom.
Figure 9-16a: Loughcrew: Mound T on hilltop
Figure 9-16b: Loughcrew: Mound T with a triangle of mounds (Reference 41)
Figure 9-16c: General overview of Loughcrew mounds
One has to obtain a key at the local visitors center that unlocks the gate into the Mound T passageway. Walking the fields with the cows up to Mound T only increased the anticipation of entering Mound T. Unlocking the gate and then entering the passageway was stunning. Here were the stones carved with detailed symbols seen only in books. To touch these carvings sent chills up my spine. Was this the place of Ollamh Fodhla, or was it the place were Jeremiah may have come? Who sat in the judgment seat, the Hag’s Chair?
The three mounds surrounding Mound T, seen in Figure 9-16b, form a thirty-/forty-degree triangle, similar to Dowth, Knowth, and Newgrange.
Figure 9-17a: Loughcrew Mound T, a heart-shaped mound (Reference 61)
Figure 9-17b: Mound T with a ring-cross, three-angled passageway and very detailed kerbstones (author’s annotations)
Figure 9-17c: Very detailed kerbstones (author’s annotations)
Seafarer’s Viewpoint
Mound T has a heart, or rose-petal, shape and has a ring-cross passageway. The passageway has two parts: the first part has an angle of thirty degrees, and the second part has an angle of ten degrees counterclockwise relative to the east-west axis. The angles of this passageway are similar to the Northern Cross passageways: thirty-degree angles from the base to the two side chambers; forty-degree angles from the top to the two side chambers; a slightly larger right chamber than the left chamber; and a top chamber shaped as a pentagram, one of the symbols for Venus. The Northern Cross is the design pattern for the Mound T passageway.
The kerbstones in Mound T at Loughcrew are much more detailed (see Chapter 8, Figure 8-4). The detail probably occured later in time than 3200 BCE. The Hag’s Chair, the throne of judgment, is found outside Mound T.
Loughcrew needs much more study because of its complexity. However, the basic seafarer’s symbols, tools, and stars are coded into the Loughcrew stones and mounds.
Fourknocks
Latitude: 53.6° N
Longitude: 6.33° W
Fourknocks, meaning “cold hill,” is a megalithic passage mound built from c 3000 to 2500 BC. It is located ten miles southeast of Newgrange toward the sea between Ardcath in County Meath and Naul in County Dublin. Two more passage tombs are in the next field (Figure 9-18a).
These three mounds are found in a secluded area with a view of the seas north of Dublin. We were able to find a key to unlock the gate into the mound from a true Irish gentleman taking an afternoon walk, who invited us after our visit to the Fourknocks Mound to have tea and homemade apple tart with him and his wife.
The main roots of Fourknocks are ourk, and nock. The base is RK and NK, or ark and ankh. In other words, Fourknocks means being the ark, storage, and where am I going?
The detailed kerbstones found at Fourknocks relate to navigation.
Figure 9-18a: Fourknocks, three mounds forming a triangle (Reference 61)
Figure 9-18b: Fourknocks, a mound with a large ankh passageway with three small crossed side chambers (Reference 61)
Figure 9-18c: A thirty-/forty-degree triangle connecting Loughcrew, Fourknocks, and Seefin (Reference 6, author’s annotations)
Fourknocks differs from other Irish passage mounds due to the enormous size of its chamber (Figure 9-18b). The roof of the rose-petal oval is approximately six by seven meters in the large chamber. The passageway/chamber has a ring-cross shape, but the three side chambers are quite small, and they form a forty-/thirty-degree triangle.
Seafarer’s Viewpoint
The passageway has a twenty-degree angle, clockwise from north.
The passageway/chamber has the following angles: seventy-two-degree angles at the base of the ankh, an indication of Venus; thirty-degree angles from the passageway’s base to the two side chambers; and forty-degree angles from the top chamber to the two side chambers. This Fourknocks mound has a center chamber of a rose petal, Venus, and the Northern Cross-based design for the ring-cross.
The three mounds at Fourknocks, in Figure 9-18a, have a thirty-/forty-degree triangle, as do the Boyne Valley mounds.
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nbsp; Mound 1 Fourknocks has very detailed kerbstones. Two examples are found in Figures 9-19.
Figure 9-19a: Fourknocks, zigzags with center diamonds (Reference 61, author’s annotations)
Figure 9-19b: Fourknocks, two diamonds, one with center zigzags, and four angled zigzags representing a trip on water
Figure 9-19a shows the zigzag symbol for water (seas) surrounding the diamond symbol for the sun-shadow latitude. Rotating ninety degrees clockwise for north, the angle of the diamond is forty degrees and is repeated ten times. Figure 9-19b shows two diamonds with a zigzag with three angles. Rotating this stone ninety degrees for north, the two diamonds have angles of about forty-five and forty degrees. The zigzag count is three.
A seafarer would interpret the above to be sailing from a latitude of forty-five degrees north to a latitude of forty degrees north for three days at an angle of twenty degrees from north with cargo stored at Fourknocks. This is the exact line of position for the trade route from the Boyne Valley to Carnac.
The large size of the chamber of Fourknocks is oriented to approximately twenty degrees east of north; it does not point to a sunrise or, indeed, a moonrise. Some think that Fourknocks is oriented toward the rising of another important star, Deneb. Deneb is part of the Northern Cross and the Summer (navigation) Triangle. The large chamber at Fourknocks was probably for storage and is closest to the Dublin harbors.
What really is amazing is that a thirty-/forty-degree triangle, Libra, le Balance, connects Loughcrew, Fourknocks, and Seefin, a location in the Wicklow Mountains where gold and copper are found. See Figure 9-18c. This triangle connects the owners with the mines and the storage facilities near the harbor at Howth. This triangle also was carved into stone K13 found at Newgrange as the small dotted triangle in Figure 8-16. Now, in Figure 8-16, the spiral represents the harbor at Howth. Amazing!