Ingleborough Archaeology Group witnesses the rising of the mid-winter sun

Craven Herald ^ | Monday, January 4, 2015 | Lindsey Moore, Deputy Editor

[SunkenCiv]

Members of the Ingleborough Archaeology Group gathered on a neolithic burial cairn at Low Hard Rigg on the slopes of Whernside to witness the rising of the mid-winter sun above the summit of Ingleborough.

It is a practice that would probably have been carried out by our prehistoric antecedents 5,000 years ago.

The alignment of the cairn with the winter solstice is thought to be highly significant.

Yvonne Luke, of Historic England, said: "I shall never forget those last dramatic moments, ever!"

More photos and a link to Yvonne's publication, The Neolithic Long Mounds of the Yorkshire Dales, can be found on the group's website.

[SunkenCiv]

The mid-winter sun rises above the summit of Ingleborough [Craven Herald: Photograph of the Author]

[SunkenCiv]

(of course, even under a uniformitarian model, 5000 years ago the sunrise wouldn't have lined up there, but that's the best one can expect from archaeoastronomical nimrods)

[ETL]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks ETL.

[ETL]

You’re welcome. Thank YOU for all the great, interesting/educational articles.

[equaviator]

It’s mid-winter on January 5th?

[Vaquero]

Yeah, really. Winter starts December 21. Spring March 21

Mid winter is around February 5 or so

[Larry Lucido]

5000 years ago, maybe it was...

[Larry Lucido]

Wouldn’t the sun rise there, like, 11 am? I mean, it’s not like you’re going to need to break out the No-Doze to see it.

[SunkenCiv]

That country has a lot of eccentrics. ;’)

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[SunkenCiv]

[colorado tanker]

The Yorkshire Dales is drop dead gorgeous countryside. And, of course, it’s very convenient to a visit to Hadrian’s Wall, for archaeology enthusiasts.

[Tainan]

In other words, the Sun came up...again.

[ApplegateRanch]

>>>Winter starts December 21. Spring March 21 Mid winter is around February 5 or so<<<

In Brit-Speak, midwinter’s Day and Midsummer’s Day are the solstices, with the seasons starting on the cross quarter days, rather than (American usage) beginning on the solstices and equinoxes.

(Old Farmer’s Almanac) The Cross-Quarter Days
“These days marked the midpoint between a solstice and equinox. For the ancient Celts, these marked the beginning of each season, with the major two divisions being winter (Samhain), starting the dark half of the year, and summer (Beltane), starting the light half of the year.”

The “modern” Brits and American colonies did the same, except using four seasons: last half of Samhain & first half of Beltane split off as Spring, and similar for Fall/Autumn. America gave it up sometime after the Revolution, but Britain held onto to it a lot longer.

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season#Traditional_solar:_Europe_and_East_Asia

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Yeah, I was going to ask if the sun would not have risen in a different location back then but I see you already answered.