Abstract
Knowth is one of three large monuments at the Neolithic complex in the bend of the River Boyne in County Meath, Ireland. The others are Newgrange and Dowth. All three have obvious solar alignments but whereas the alignment to the winter solstice sunrise at Newgrange has been extensively researched and interpreted, little has been attempted regarding the way that astronomy functions at Knowth and Dowth. This paper treats the evidence for solar and lunar alignments at Knowth. Knowth has two internal passages with entrances at the east and west. The paper draws on new surveys as well as interpretations of the evidence at Knowth that includes rock art engraved on kerbstones around the circumference. Particular engravings on kerbstone K52 are interpreted as depicting astronomical cycles. It is argued that, while Knowth’s passages function in relation to the equinoxes, they are not internally orientated to match exactly the equinoctial directions. Rather, it seems that they may have been constructed and used to facilitate the harmonisation of the solar and lunar cycles - much in the same way as does the equinoctial Judeo-Christian festival of Easter. The paper concludes by suggesting that like Newgrange, Knowth may be an astronomical instrument that enabled its builders and users to construct accurate calendars and counting systems, which in turn facilitated calculated planning and was a fundamental structuring principle for their ritual lives and cosmological beliefs.
Highlights
The three large Neolithic monuments at the prehistoric complex on the banks of the river Boyne in County Meath, Ireland, are called Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth
If the survey of the passages and the rock art evidence at Knowth both point to an interest in, and emphasis on, the alignment of solar and lunar cycles, how might we interpret this evidence from a cultural perspective? First, it suggests a comparable interest in precision astronomy at Knowth demonstrated at Newgrange
The alignment of the Knowth passages, and associated rock art, may not display an interest in basic alignments but in sophisticated calculations, possibly designed to both identify the equinoxes and facilitate the counting of the moon’s cycles in relation to the sun. This evidence would strengthen the case for precision astronomy at the Boyne valley sites as a whole
Summary
The three large Neolithic monuments at the prehistoric complex on the banks of the river Boyne in County Meath, Ireland, are called Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. Astronomy at Newgrange has been extensively researched and interpreted, but less work has been done on the way that astronomy functions at Knowth and Dowth. This paper focuses on the evidence for astronomical alignments at Knowth, and on interpretations of this evidence. This paper considers new surveys at Knowth, and a synopsis of this evidence is presented and reviewed in the context of the megalithic rock art at the site, of which some prominent examples can be interpreted as depicting astronomical cycles. As we continue to reconstruct the levels of astronomical knowledge understood and recorded by our Neolithic ancestors, we can make the connection between this and other abundant evidence for their rich artistic and ritual lives - and suggest the many ways in which they were intrinsically linked
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