Glossary Terms
SOLSTICE POINTS: These are points on the horizon that give
the Sun (and the Moon) the apparent idea of standing still, for a
period of time and then turning in their paths to continue their
annual travel.
EQUINOXES: The points in the year where the Sun passes through
equal day/equal night.The vernal equinox marking where the sun
passes between the winter and summer solstices (Mar 21st) and
the autumnal equinox where the sun passes between the summer
and winter solstices.(Sep 20th).
CAIRN: A heap of stones piled up over a passage grave to preserve
the interred remains. Usually Quartz is used as this dressing, but
any quality of local stone can also be availed of.
MEGALITHIC: Literally means big (mega) stone(lithos) from the greek.
Stones used to compile a lasting tomb structure that can be up to 80 tons
individually in weight.
AZIMUTH: This is the scientific term for compass point, except
its always measured clockwise from true North.
PASSAGE GRAVE/MOUND : A clearly defined stone stucture housing
the cremated or inhumed remains of important rituals or persons.
These graves can resemble the shape of a christian cross in plan,
or they can be a series of chambered sections with court like
entrances at one or both ends.
ORTHOSTAT: A stone piece of a passage wall set upright on its end.
RECESS: A small chamber set off, usually at right angles,
from the passageway axis of a cairn.
DECLINATION: An astronomical term related to latitude projected
into space. Part of a coordinate system along with Right Ascension
(R.A.) that gives an observer a frame of reference.
ROOFBOX: Coined as an indication of a purposely built apparatus
to let light into a passage grave at certain times of the year. Usually
rectangular in aperture. Examples Newgrange and Carrowkeel.
PRECESSION OF THE EQUINOXES: A period of 25,800 years
whereby a star will travel to return to its original position in the sky,
taking 72 years/degree to do so.
BRETONS: Natives of North West France in the region of Brittany.
ALTITUDE: Think of it as height above the horizon only measured
in degrees, minutes and seconds as 0° at the horizon point
and 90° at the overhead or Zenith point.
KARST: A name given to a limestone region of former Yugoslavia
where water erosion causes deep fissures and cave systems
within the rock.
MERIDIAN: A line drawn up vertically from the horizon point to cut
the Zenith.
ROBERT BAUVAL: An Egyptian born engineer who discovered that
the 3 pyramids at Giza were a mirror of the belt of Orion in
both orientation and design. See his book ' The Orion Mystery'.
RINGFORT: A defensive fort build of stone walls in a circular fashion.
MAGNITUDE: This is a measure of the relative brightness of a sky
object. A positive value is dimmer than a negative one. Examples
are Sun -26.5(the brightest object in the sky), Full Moon -12.5,
Sirius -1.59 (brightest star) , Venus - 1.2,
CARBON 14 DATING : A measure of the rate of decay of a particular atom
of the carbon element found in organic matter which has a definitive
half life.This was discovered in 1949 by Arnold & Libby.
This half life is measured at approx 5,730 years.Recently Accelerator
Mass Spectroscopy (AMS) has improved C14 accuracy and now
its reliability can be extended back to between 40,000 and 60,000 years.
MESOLITHIC : Means 'middle stone age' and refers to mainly
hunter-gatherers in the time era before Neolithic circa 7500 - 4000bc.
NEOLITHIC : New Stone Age, in reference to agricutural settlers
who came after the Mesoliths in the period circa 4000bc - 2300bc.
ZENITH POINT : That point in the night sky that is directly above where you
stand, its opposite counterpoint being referred to as the Nadir Point.
RETROGRADE : This relates to planetary movement whereby the
planet in question appears to shift course in its orbit and reverse its
direction in the night sky. This is purely an illusion created by the
combined orbits of the earth and the planet's.