Re: For Ceremonial purposes? | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

Sanctuary wrote:

tiompan wrote:

nigelswift wrote:

Not quite sure what you mean. But I'd suggest that ancient sites are best appreciated by trying to get to the bottom of what they meant originally. That's what this website focuses on mostly.

We're free to use them purely in a convenient modern way - viewpoints, geocache locations or picnic tables but then 99% of their value is lost.

I agree and that's why I'm suggesting the possibility that the winter & solstice alignments at SH like those at passage graves were not necessarily built for "observing" .

Actually this is something I was going to ask. It seems to be cast in stone that this was the understanding but there must be presumably alternate theories out there.

I think the problem stems from Thom's use of "observatories " in "Megalithic Lunar Observatories " .Because observations were necessary in order for alignments to be built into monuments the assumption is that monuments were then used as observatories .
You certainly can't observe from a sealed passage grave and a megalithic monument like SH might not be ideal because of the megaliths and possibly cultural restrictions .
Clear skies and horizons ,a flask of tea & warm clothing are more important than stones getting in the way.