More great pics from unusual viewpoints! Kudos to the photographer!
Apart from one other, Stone-16 is my favorite in the Circle. Most of the Stones in the SW are of much less quality than those of the NE. The exception is -16, which is, in several ways, much more finely shaped than any. Heavily worked, the crafting marks are plain to see all over it.
There are three peculiarities on this Stone which make it unique, apart from its robust size. Firstly, if you stand to the east or west side, it resembles nothing other than a woman in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. It also appears to have a breast shaped on it, the details of which can be seen on the link Tim provides. Finally, on the NE, or back side, at about waist height, is what appears to be a crooked spiral or inverted double-V. Is this supposed to be a vulva? (Independent of each other, this feature was noticed by Terrence Meadon in 1999, Angela Lake in December 2006, and Simon Banton in September 2010. Only Banton made an official announcement, so credit for discovery goes to him.)
In my view -16 was almost certainly intended to represent a female. But why, when no other Stone shows evidence of anthropomorphous shaping?
Its location may hold the key.
As has been determined by copious evidence in recent years, though Summer Solstice was an important point in the year, Winter Solstice was clearly the bigger deal. The sun was disappearing into the uttermost depths of winter where it would lay motionless, or 'dead' for three days before starting the northward move once again. This marked the beginning of longer days and was a very important time. Viewed from the Altar Stone the sun vanishes between the skinny 18-inch slot between the uprights of the Great Trilithon as well as being bracketed by S-15 & -16. It still does this, even though -55 and -15 are now destroyed.
So, based upon what we know about the Heelstone's Summer Solstice shadow, the wider space between S-1 & -30, the graduated cup-shape of the Trilithons, and placement of the Altar Stone, it seems obvious that this is when the Sun arrived to 'make visit' upon his beautiful Earth-Wife, represented by the Circle itself.
Yeah? So what has all this got to do with Stone-16?
Well, on the opposite side of the Circle's solar axis, we see what appears to be a six-months pregnant woman facing the Sun's December departure. She's proudly showing off her bounty as he fades into the horizon, giving birth at Vernal Equinox, nine months after his auspicious summer visit. This ensured life's continuity in the world.
Summer Solstice is demonstrated only twice at the complex, rising and setting, while Winter Solstice shows up at least four times (that I know of). The sun's appearance at that time seems to be as important as its setting, further emphasizing the multiple layers of meaning within the stone citadel.
In its final incarnation, Stonehenge was all about Life's defeat of Death and Stone-16 is a major key to understanding this.
Thanks for the link to this Neil. My original photo taken at dawn on 6th December 2006 (and several more I've taken of Stone 16) is on the Megalithic Portal along with many others in the Stonehenge circle file. See: http://www.megalithic.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=a312&file=index&do=showpic&pid=26301 I didn't advertise the inverted V mark and Stone 16's other features further as I thought it would soon be seen on that website and someone 'in the know' would take an interest in proving it was 'special'. I've posted many more links than this, with my original ideas about Stone 16 (especially the pregnant belly view, with its flowing robe) and the SW face which I believed to be the receiver of a shadow of an outlying post that once stood between it and the setting Winter Solstice sun. (Maybe signalling the start of the night's celebrations, and/or as a phallic image projected onto the female stone). I was surprised that no-one had mentioned it at all in the past, nor did I find any mention of it in Terence Meaden's books. When the laser scan was done a few years ago I'd hoped there'd be a result, but again was disappointed. Angie Lake
More great pics from unusual viewpoints! Kudos to the photographer!
ReplyDeleteApart from one other, Stone-16 is my favorite in the Circle.
Most of the Stones in the SW are of much less quality than those of the NE. The exception is -16, which is, in several ways, much more finely shaped than any. Heavily worked, the crafting marks are plain to see all over it.
There are three peculiarities on this Stone which make it unique, apart from its robust size.
Firstly, if you stand to the east or west side, it resembles nothing other than a woman in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
It also appears to have a breast shaped on it, the details of which can be seen on the link Tim provides.
Finally, on the NE, or back side, at about waist height, is what appears to be a crooked spiral or inverted double-V. Is this supposed to be a vulva?
(Independent of each other, this feature was noticed by Terrence Meadon in 1999, Angela Lake in December 2006, and Simon Banton in September 2010. Only Banton made an official announcement, so credit for discovery goes to him.)
In my view -16 was almost certainly intended to represent a female.
But why, when no other Stone shows evidence of anthropomorphous shaping?
Its location may hold the key.
As has been determined by copious evidence in recent years, though Summer Solstice was an important point in the year, Winter Solstice was clearly the bigger deal. The sun was disappearing into the uttermost depths of winter where it would lay motionless, or 'dead' for three days before starting the northward move once again. This marked the beginning of longer days and was a very important time.
Viewed from the Altar Stone the sun vanishes between the skinny 18-inch slot between the uprights of the Great Trilithon as well as being bracketed by S-15 & -16. It still does this, even though -55 and -15 are now destroyed.
So, based upon what we know about the Heelstone's Summer Solstice shadow, the wider space between S-1 & -30, the graduated cup-shape of the Trilithons, and placement of the Altar Stone, it seems obvious that this is when the Sun arrived to 'make visit' upon his beautiful Earth-Wife, represented by the Circle itself.
Yeah? So what has all this got to do with Stone-16?
Well, on the opposite side of the Circle's solar axis, we see what appears to be a six-months pregnant woman facing the Sun's December departure. She's proudly showing off her bounty as he fades into the horizon, giving birth at Vernal Equinox, nine months after his auspicious summer visit. This ensured life's continuity in the world.
Summer Solstice is demonstrated only twice at the complex, rising and setting, while Winter Solstice shows up at least four times (that I know of). The sun's appearance at that time seems to be as important as its setting, further emphasizing the multiple layers of meaning within the stone citadel.
In its final incarnation, Stonehenge was all about Life's defeat of Death and Stone-16 is a major key to understanding this.
Thus endeth the ramble ...
Neil
Thanks for the link to this Neil. My original photo taken at dawn on 6th December 2006 (and several more I've taken of Stone 16) is on the Megalithic Portal along with many others in the Stonehenge circle file. See:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.megalithic.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=a312&file=index&do=showpic&pid=26301
I didn't advertise the inverted V mark and Stone 16's other features further as I thought it would soon be seen on that website and someone 'in the know' would take an interest in proving it was 'special'. I've posted many more links than this, with my original ideas about Stone 16 (especially the pregnant belly view, with its flowing robe) and the SW face which I believed to be the receiver of a shadow of an outlying post that once stood between it and the setting Winter Solstice sun. (Maybe signalling the start of the night's celebrations, and/or as a phallic image projected onto the female stone). I was surprised that no-one had mentioned it at all in the past, nor did I find any mention of it in Terence Meaden's books. When the laser scan was done a few years ago I'd hoped there'd be a result, but again was disappointed.
Angie Lake