Site A (explored:)
One of seventeen satellite tombs at Knowth.
The main mound (behind camera) is 12m high, and 67m across. The mound contains two passages which reach nearly to the centre. They are almost aligned with the rising and setting sun on the equinoxes. It's possibly a coincidence, but it would be one hell of a coincidence.
The similar monument at Newgrange, less than 3 miles away, has a passageway aligned with the rising sun on the winter solstice. On the shortest day of the year, and for two days either side, sunlight beams in through the 19m long passageway to illuminate the central chamber. The rest of the year the chamber is in darkness.
The alignment of the passageways at Knowth may have been disturbed by medieval building works. Unfortunately no photos allowed inside Newgrange, and the Knowth passageways are only accessible to archaeologists.
The tombs are approx 5,200 years old.
Site A (explored:)
One of seventeen satellite tombs at Knowth.
The main mound (behind camera) is 12m high, and 67m across. The mound contains two passages which reach nearly to the centre. They are almost aligned with the rising and setting sun on the equinoxes. It's possibly a coincidence, but it would be one hell of a coincidence.
The similar monument at Newgrange, less than 3 miles away, has a passageway aligned with the rising sun on the winter solstice. On the shortest day of the year, and for two days either side, sunlight beams in through the 19m long passageway to illuminate the central chamber. The rest of the year the chamber is in darkness.
The alignment of the passageways at Knowth may have been disturbed by medieval building works. Unfortunately no photos allowed inside Newgrange, and the Knowth passageways are only accessible to archaeologists.
The tombs are approx 5,200 years old.