AlamyWe will likely never know the specific beliefs and rituals that inspired Maesho’s Tomb. But it is nevertheless possible to understand the great importance of the winter solstice as the “midnight of the year”, both the darkest moment in the calendar and the turning point for the greater brightness of the next six months. It was a moment of death and rebirth, a reminder of the cyclical nature of time.
In the distant past, understanding nature’s clockwork indicators, including the summer solstice, was a matter of survival. For example, predicting recurring patterns of animal movement can aid in hunting and fishing success. Knowing when the climate changes means you can adapt and survive. In pre-agricultural societies, it helped people predict the availability and location of edible roots, nuts, and plants.
After the introduction of agriculture around 9000 BC, predicting the timing of seasonal changes was essential for successful planting and harvesting. Although time-calculating monuments had a practical value, the Neolithic period likely also embodied spiritual beliefs, especially the winter solstice. This very ancient recognition of the importance of the summer solstice is also reflected in the modern world. The word “Yule” now refers to the winter holiday period and originates from a historic Nordic festival. Yoru, It was centered around the winter solstice. Modern Christmas traditions recall bygone midwinter celebrations like Saturnalia, a Roman holiday that involved feasts and gifts. And the summer solstice continues to be recognized in hundreds of traditions around the world, including the Incan festival of Inti Raymi and the Chinese Winter Solstice.
“The sublime power of nature”
Archaeologists have discovered dozens of Neolithic monuments, along with Maesho’s tomb, staring directly into the sun on the winter solstice. Stonehenge (England) once had its tallest trilithons framing the sunset. Newgrange (Ireland). The walkway is timed to coincide with the sunrise on this auspicious day. And standing stones in Callanish (Outer Hebrides) create a similar solar line of sight. In the Brittany region of northwest France, La Roche aux Fées: A megalithic walkway made of 41 stone blocks, some of which weigh more than 40 tons (40,000 kg). As the sunrises on the winter solstice, we breathe in the light of our annual midwinter recovery. Legend has it that it was once built by fairies in one night, but it is actually a dolmen (tomb) built by Neolithic architects around 2750 BC.
Source: BBC Culture – www.bbc.com
