Irish Sun Cross

Mythical Ireland has suggested that this may be an early form of a clock...Well, we could reason that this much like many of the wheels that have been found are represented as dividing up the seasons. Could that be construed as a clock? Yes, it could...it divides time.

I just find this subject so fascinating. I hope you are enjoying the journey with me.

Neolithic French Sun Cross

This representation of the sun is also an early representation of the cross. The Neolithic people of France left this behind. It still looks close to the wheel symbol, just fewer spokes. This symbol will become a popular one, as I have many more symbols to share with you. The break in four equal parts may have been an acknowledgement of Knowing of season or at the very least understanding there are four distinctive seasons. These people were outside more often, and observers of the stars, and moon phases.

I wonder were males more likely to be out in the night air or were females...Females are more likely to get up to nurse the baby. Females were more often to get up and clean the baby or young child. Were men up in the middle of the night to observe the stars? Were men up to guard their woman from the dangers of nocturnal animals? If that is the case then the man and woman were probably talking to each other to keep each other company during the time she was feeding the baby or small child. I believe that during the time men and women were gathering and starting to farm they felt more equal, but once we began to enjoy eating meat and the men were together without the women the men developed a closer bond. As the bond of men got stronger they believed they were stronger since they were hunting.

It would not be feasible for women to join the ranks of hunting with men because of our menstrual cycle. We would also become more of a burden for the men with the children. The children would have to stay with us simply because we had to feed the children.

This is how I believe the world became more patriarchal. Hunting is what brought men closer as a brotherhood. We were out of the loop. Since the sun is so dominate, it became the symbol for man and no longer a symbol for the female. We still have the symbol for the earth, but our celestial body is now the moon. The moon is subordinate to the sun. Without the sun the moon would not shine...hmmmm. Boy, those man groups!? Who knew eating meat would bring on so many complications?!

Siberian Sun Wheel

The Siberian Sun Wheel is broken into eight pedals. These wheels have been found all over the world. Some dating back to 24,000 years ago. A time that has no evidence of wheels being used for carts but they do represent the sun. This wheel is made of ivory.

Later we find that a wheels of a chariot takes the sun across the sky by Gods like Apollo.

Neo Lithic People of Malta

This is a pottery shard from the island of Malta. It was found at the Hagar Qim temple.

The temple was built in 3,300 BC. This shard represents the sun, as a sun wheel. It is divided into eight sections. The wheel often represents life. The passage of time (before clocks)

Malta is amazing. Although now Malta is surrounded by the sea at one time this was not the case. It would have been connected to Italy and Sicily. The sites at Malta are much like the ones found in Scotland, Ireland, and Stonehenge. All have a common mound like or cave structure. They all are aligned as calenders too, and they all have the spirals.

The spirals have stirred all types of speculation. One thing that is known for sure is that the spiral is an ancient representation of the sun. Sometimes there are more arms on the spiral than other times.

We often find that the spirals have 9 rings. This echos a pregnancy term. Women are like the earth and the sun...both bring fourth life. Women have "seasons" just as the earth and sun. At some point the woman changed from solar to lunar. We represent a reflection of the sun. Hmmmm, wonder why?

I am not some radical feminist, but I do think that it is not hard to imagine that at one time women were not a threat. We were seen as the more deified sex since we brought life into the world. We helped the young person sustain life by our bosom. We not only could help our own children but other children, and if need be, older people. We are "really" natural nurturing people.

I read (a long time ago) that we domesticated dogs by breast feeding them. We lured them with a little food, and they have never left our side. I think that is ironic...women domesticated dogs, but dogs are mans' best friend.

I digress...spirals have not been fully figured out as of yet. It may also be that some of the spirals were decorative, and some had more symbolic meaning. Since many primitive people used the spiral as a symbol for the sun there is always a possibility that as it became more popular people wanted to alter it a little.

Neo Lithic People of Ireland II

This sun is from the passage tomb in Ireland. Another representation of the sun left by the Neolithic People. I have a sincere appreciation for the people that lived over 5000 years ago and were building with stones that were over a ton in size, moving earth to build mounds...all to divide time. They were wanting to harness a relationship with the sun, moon, earth, and stars. It was an attempt to understand the earth they lived on, and grapple with the meaning of life. The mound is like a cave, a way for them to enter earth, the belly of the womb that brings forth food. This mound brings forth food, and sustains not only humans, but the animals around all of us too. I have seen where they have not only one sun but many. I have often wondered if the reason they drew so many different sun was a way to "harness" the energy of the sun. Could they have drawn the sun in different phases?

Neo Lithic People of Ireland

Over five thousand years ago these are the images that were left by the Neolithic people of Ireland. These images are of the sun with the sun shining on the images. They too constructed a calendar with the winter solstice and the spring equinox the dividing the importance of the structure. These two dates were the most important to them. Today they are important days on our calendars too, but for very different reasons.

Nebra Sky Disk

This is an exciting post for me. It took me a long time to find this image. This disk is thought to be made 3600 years ago. It depicts the sun, moon, and stars. At the bottom is the sun barge. It shows us the planets, and how they were seen in the sky so many years ago. The Nebra sky disk is from the neolithic people in Germany. The Neolithic people of Germany made an advanced observatory just as the people at Stonehenge. Observatory at Goseck, Germany is the place of this discovery. If you are craving more information about the artifact, and all the information that is known about it go to http://www.celticnz.co.nz/NebraSunDisk/NebraSunDisk.htm

Sun Barge

I have always read that the ancient people believed in a barge transporting the sun. This would make sense to the ancient people that were near water to believe in this myth. The Ancient Egyptians are the only images I can find (thus far) of ancient people and the sun barge. It also looks as thought he moon is just under the sun. Two baboons are the escorts for the sun.

What else is known about the sun barges? A barge procession would take place for the dead. The barge of the dead would also be preserved for the afterlife. Many barges have been found in the tombs.