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Megalithic art studies by N.L. Thomas

Calendars

Motifs and symbols

Irish symbols, © Thomas, N.L., 1988

Symbol depicted	Motifs	Examples
a count of one		-
a set of units counted as one (a chunk)		-
a count of five		K-K13, K-K23, K-K30, K-K52
a count of five		-
see as a whole		K-K13
begin		K-K13
end		-
1 day		K-K13, K-K25
2 days		-
3 days		K-K65
group of days		-
an entity (night, week, month)		K-K13, K-K23
half of a whole		K-K13
3 whole items		-
4 weeks is 1 month		K-K13
4 quarters is 1 year		K-K13, K-K23
the firmament		K-K15, K-K30, K-K79
winter sun		K-K13, K-K15, K-K65, K-K79
summer sun		-
equinox		K-K13
full moon		K-K52
new moon		K-K52
noon, sky		K-K65
dawn and dusk		K-K65
start of statement		K-K52
finish of statement		K-K30
route to follow		K-K13, K-K23
direction, alignment		-
8 or 16 directions		-
8 or 16 directions		-

Interesting issues

Compositions

• Mid-winter dawn alignment
• Mid-winter solstice
• Equinox alignment
• The four seasons
• The Firmament
• The days and months
• The sun and moon months
• The year
• The universe
• Seventeen
• The calendar stones

Questions to author

• The plan of Knowth (sourced in early times [1982] from Eogan) is incorrect. It depicts passage alignments due east and due west, which are not true (see my pages). (this error is not really essential for the book).
This figure has now been replaced by the correct one (pers comm Thomas [2002]), except that the numbering scheme is different than Eogan uses.
• Some errors in numbering of kerbstones: K38 should be K30, K43 should be K25, K53 is K52, K36 should be K23 and K81 is K91. In total there are 127 stones around Knowth Site1.
• The symbols belonging to the motifs for winter and summer sun are different from the ones one get if looking at a sundial. Which are: a tightly wound anti-clockwise spiral is towards summer solstice and a loosely wound anti-clockwise spiral is towards winter solstice. I am here interesting in the loosely and tightly winding (the direction is depending how one looks: from south to north or the other way).
The reason of Thomas for using the tightly wound for winter solstice is because it is cold (arms wrapped around body) and at summer solstice this is the other way around. A nice human analogy!
Another quote: "Donald A MacKenzie authored 'Scottish Folklore & Folk life' published by Blackie 1935, in which he mentions "Cailleach Bheur as the daughter of Grianan or Grianaig [of the Little Sun]. He goes on to explain in the old Celtic calendar, the Big Sun shines during the period from Beltane to Halloween; the winter period (months) between these two dates is the time of the Little Sun."
• One line is missing at month 4 in figure on page 43. This line seems to be in the photograph and the copied picture of Brennan (page 44). This should be include, making it a total of 366 days. Perhaps the line at month 1 (which has a different orientation!) is only counted every 4 years?!
• The picture of Newgrange right recess roof stone (page 54, copied from Brennan) is incorrect. Compare this with the photograph and rendering provided by O'Kelly [1982, plate 57 and page 181].
• A different rendering of the same stone than e.g. Twohig (and Brennan) is used. Which one is correct? The photograph in his book has been made by himself.


Loughcrew, Cairn X₁, picture by Thomas, N.L.

Loughcrew, Cairn X₁, picture by Twohig, E.S.
• The length of the seasons is not always 91 days (when using present day definition of equinox). So in former times one used a different definition of equinox (like the halving method perhaps: called midyear days).

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