Thread: Today on the Winter Solstice, one of the oldest traditions on the planet is played out at Newgrange, Ireland. Newgrange is older than the Pyramids & Stonehenge & was built between 3500-3200BC. Let’s take a look at this World Heritage Site & Solar Clock #WinterSolstice

As the sun rises on the Solstice it passes through a lightbox at the entrance to the tomb & travels down the 60ft passageway to a central chamber marking the shortest day of the year.

As a professional historian & science these ideas influence my art. Pattern, like & colour are central to my work. There’s a 2 for 1 until the 6th January. Delivery before Christmas is available for Irish orders, today only. https://twitter.com/robertbohan/status/1340702887287140353

It forms part of the World Heritage Site, Brú na Bóinne on the River Boyne in County Meath, Ireland. Newgrange, Knowth & Dowth are the key passage graves. With Newgrange being the critical site.

Every year a modern lottery takes place to allow a small group of people see the sun enter through the lightbox above the portal to the passage grave & travel to the centre. This is the oldest solar clock in the world. The waiting list is extremely long.

Here’s a view of the entrance. In front is a decorated kerb stone. It has been postulated that the carvings relate to the sun. Behind is the doorway, the lintel & the smaller light box through which the Solstice sun rise passes.

The Complex boasts one of the greatest collections of megalithic art in Western Europe. Spirals, lozenges & other forms decorate the many kerb stones around the site. From time to time new examples are rediscovered. Stone was brought from as far away as Wicklow & the Mournes

Newgrange is probably the most studied of the Neolithic sites in Europe - as a result it is used as a reference site for others which do not have that level of academic or scientific research behind them. Newgrange dates from between 3500-3400BC (based on carbon dating)

Newgrange was rediscovered in 1699AD & quickly came to the attention of historians. They often concocted bizarre theories (a process which continues with New Age people today). Mitchell & Ryan’s (1997 + updates) is the best resource to understand landscape in IRL (also Harrison)

In 1882 the site became a protected Ancient Monument. By 1890, conservation was begun. Between 1962-75 a comprehensive archaeological survey took place. Here are some early images before the restoration of the site.

Despite not being able to prove conclusively what the Complex was for we do know that offerings were left at the site for millennia. These included Roman coins & jewels as well as much earlier items

A good overview of the history & archaeology of the site is on the National Museum of Ireland site: https://museum.ie/Archaeology/The-Winter-solstice-at-Newgrange

At the end of the passageway a stone basin made of granite from the Mournes is found. This has the cremated remains of humans inside it. There has been speculation that these were offerings to Gods, regal remains or some other ceremonial form - we will probably never know

The exciting thing about Newgrange is that there is always something new to be discovered. Two years ago aerial images highlighted previously unknown forts & tombs within the Complex which came to light under the weather conditions in the Summer

Here are details of other discoveries from the Heritage site: https://irishtimes.com/news/science/5-500-year-old-passage-tomb-at-dowth-is-find-of-a-lifetime-1.3567118?mode=amp… As well as a number of the kerb stones from it. Martin Brennan carried out some of the work.

I’ve been asked by a number of people what I believe Newgrange was for.

Having studied the matter intensively for decades it’s my belief that a race of alien giants came to Earth thousands of years ago & this is their prototype for a barcode reader...


Irish megalithic art is one of the inspirations behind my own. If you are interested in acquiring some my 2 for 1 offer is now extended to the 6th of January (deliveries will be after Christmas except in Ireland): https://twitter.com/robertbohan/status/1340702887287140353

Please note that images are used for educational purposes only. I’ve tried to source from official sites. If a photo is yours please let me know & I can attribute it to you or delete.