My ideas on archaeocosmology. Part one: about archaeography and Maeshowe. Part two is about Treasury of Atreus (a different slide show: https://www.slideshare.net/vreijs1/carnac-second03 ).

1. Archaeocosmology
Victor Reijs
victor.reijs@gmail.com
October 5th, 2013
Plarnel, Brittany

2. Who am I...
 In 1996, I started with Scottish monuments (incl. Maeshowe,
Orkney)
 Measured azimuth of the Dutch and German passage graves
 Using the Moon, I simulated the Sun of 5000 years ago inside
Newgrange, Ireland
 Observed/broadcasted the winter solstice at Maeshowe
 Observed/broadcasted the 2006 major standstill limit at
Calanais, Lewis, Scotland
 Equinox observations at Treasury of Atreus, Mycenae, Greece
 Measured azimuths of Minoan graves, Crete
 I am a numbers and observational person; and I like the
scientific approach
 I am learning the magical, mystical; and artistic ways of live


3. Content
 Archaeography...
 The visualization of astronomy at
Maeshowe...
 Equinox at Treasury of Atreus...

4. Archaeography
 Formulated by Tom Graves and
Liz Poray-Wilczynska
 A method to get a feel for the Spirit of Place
 Allowing subjective responses to the past
 Experiencing it in the Place
 Interaction of Place, time and mind.

5. Archaeography
 Allow both mechanical/scientific and
aesthetic experiences
 Look at experiences in different ways:
 Value and/or Truth
 Outer/Objective and/or Inner/Subjective
 This gives four roles...

6. The four roles

7. Artist

8. Artist
Sensing/feeling

9. Artist
Sensing/feeling

10. Mystic

11. Mystic
Belonging/belief

12. Mystic
Belonging/belief

13. Scientist

14. Scientist
Analysis/fact
GPS measurements of Erdeven

15. Scientist
Analysis/fact
Archaeological dig

16. Magician

17. Magician
Application/use
 Was it used for:
 maps?...
 geometry (3:4:5)?...
 predicting eclipses?...
 knowing the seasons?...
 learning what was in the
minds?...

18. Magician
Application/use
Cover up the former site
Be on the highest point

19. What time does?
 We don’t know if our present day thinking
was true and/or valued by former people.
 Each epoch has its own truths/values
 In Neolithic times the same roles existed,
but they might be totally different.
 Even closely related cultures don’t have to
have the same truths/values. They can, but
it is not law!
 Restriction reduces the wealth of
possibilities/ideas

20. Keep in mind the four roles

21. Content
 Archaeography...
 The visualization of astronomy at
Maeshowe...
 Equinox at Treasury of Atreus...

22. Maeshowe
Ward Hill and Cuilags
Orkney Scotland

23. Maeshowe
a neolithic cairn
 Build around 2800 BCE
 A virtual world of landscape, sun and
monument was made:
first using spreadsheet and later 3D world
 This led to re-discovery of reappearing light
in chamber

24. Setting sun
Ward Hill and Cuilags
Back wall

25. 25
Reappearing sun light
~23 days before/after winter solstice day
Ward Hill and Cuilags
Back wall

26. Astronomy aware
3D world
 3D landscape
 (Neolithic) monuments
 Movements of the Moon and the Sun
aim: from 3000 BCE until now
 Web accessible: using VRML
 Unique in its kind

27. Ring of Brodgar, Watchstone, Standing stones of Stenness,
Maeshowe, Barnhouse Stone, etc.
3D landscape around Maeshowe
Nov. 29th, 2000

28. Reappearing sun light
~45 days before/after winter solstice day

29. Sun set at Cuilags
Jan. 31st, 2001

30. Reappearing in Maeshowe
Dec. 1st, 1998

31. Roles used

32. Content
 Archaeography...
 The visualization of astronomy at
Maeshowe...
 Equinox at Treasury of Atreus...

33. <go to http://www.slideshare.net/vreijs1/carnac-second03 >