About Thornborough Henge
Thornborough Henge is a 5000 year old ritual monument consiting of three almost identical circular earthworks or Henges.
Measuring a mile in length, it is the largest pre-historic religious site in the British Isles.
(apologies for the poor sound quality).
Henges years older than pyramids
bbc.co.uk/north_yorkshire (Feb 14, 2006)
An ancient North Yorkshire monument has been recognised as being almost 1,000 years older than the pyramids of Giza.
Researchers at Newcastle University have found the Thornborough Henges are one of the earliest major monuments aligned to the constellation Orion.
The 5,500-year-old earthworks, north of Ripon, and the Egyptian pyramids are thought to have been built to mirror Orion's belt for its religious focus.
Senior lecturer at the university Dr Jan Harding said they used a three dimensional model to confirm the stellar alignments of the henges, which date back to the Neolithic period.
"Thornborough was a sacred landscape, a place of religious worship, and we should try to interpret these astronomical orientations within that context."
"This astronomical association was emphasised by the banks of the henges being coated in brilliant white gypsum."
"Neolithic people surely felt they were at the centre of the very cosmos as they worshipped the heavens above."
Learn more about Thornborough Henge:
Dr Jan Harding's Thornborough Henge website:
thornborough.ncl.ac.uk
Thornborough Henge at the Modern Antiquarian:
themodernantiquarian.com
Thornborough Henge at the Megalithic Portal:
megalithic.co.uk
The Nebula Group of crystal therapists invite people to join them in a short ritual to be performed at Beltane at Thornborough 2010.
Find out more about this ritual
