Ancient Solar Observatory Discovered
History of Science In Non-Western Traditions
Personally, I think the spring equinox was the ancient new years (though some believe it may be the winter solstice as the day starts getting longer after that point). Many monuments have been built by cultures that have basically been lost to time. Later festivals and religious celebrations are simply that, later celebrations that someone made up. (Background: Plato's Atlantis Found!)
This is an equinox event at Chichen Itza (the sun causes light effects like Newgrange below)...
Kukulkan at its finest during the Spring Equinox. Chichen Itza Equinox March 2009. The famous descent of the snake at the temple.
As seen from the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice – typically around December 21 to 23 – is the day on which the sun’s path stops moving southward in the sky. The winter solstice marks the longest night and shortest day of the year. For us in the northern hemisphere, it’s the day on which the days stop growing shorter and will soon begin to lengthen again. For this reason, in festivals and celebrations across this hemisphere of Earth, the winter solstice is linked to the idea of rebirth.
The sun is perfectly aligned for winter solstice, between two stones, at Stonehenge...
Whatever the significance of the Equinox was to the Ancients, one thing can't be argued, circles have always played an important part in rituals, architecture and the basic psychology of people throughout the ages...
Example 1; Cosmology
From Copernicus to Ancient Korea, or what the Chinese concept of change has to do with Aztec astrology.
Example 2; Mandalas
First exhibit of works created by patients of Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung goes up at Oglethorpe University Art Museum.
More Information: Rubin Museum of Art