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Web sites that discuss the winter solstice

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Sponsored link.

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On about December 21st of each year, Aborigines, academics, astroarchaeologists, Atheists, Celts, Druids, historians, Native Americans, Pagans, Shamans, Wiccans, Witches, etc., the world over will be celebrating the world's oldest holiday, the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice.

Lowell McFarland contributed the following information:

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Some web sites featuring information on the Winter Solstice are:

bulletSolstice at: http://www.candlegrove.com/ Teresa Ruano and friends describe ancient solstice architectures, a family fertility ritual, and solstice celebrations of many cultures.
bulletWinter Solstice at: http://www.astro.virginia.edu/ Eric W. Weisstein has included two graphs showing when the solstice occurs, in the Gregorian calendar, and a chart listing the time of the solstice from 1908 to 2009 CE.
bulletWinter Solstice at: http://tryskelion.com/  Lisa Hutchins has an essay describing the origins, traditions and spirituality of the solstice.
bulletNewgrange, Ireland:
bulletThis megalithic passage grave cemetery and ceremonial site has been carbon dated to about 3000 to 2500 BCE. It was built 1,000 years or more before Stonehenge in England, and about 500 years before the Egyptian pyramids.
bulletSome amazing pictures of the winter solstice at Newgrange are featured at http://www.knowth.com One in particular is sized for use as a background on your computer desktop. The same website also has many other images of megalithic sites.
bulletAerial Images of Newgrange and Knowth megalithic passage tombs can be seen at: http://www.knowth.com/
bulletFor the first time, the 2007 Winter Solstice illumination at Newgrange will be available live on the Internet. See http://www.newgrange.com/
 
bulletMaes Howe: The Winter Solstice was broadcast live from the 5,000 year old megalith at this location in the Orkney's, Scotland. At the time of the solstice, light from the setting sun shines through a small opening above the entrance to the tomb and illuminates the back wall of the chamber. Victor Reijs, Charles Tait, Historic Scotland, and others organized a Internet hookup. Before and after the 1998 solstice, the sunset at Maes Howe was broadcast from 1998-DEC-7 to 1999-JAN-31. This was repeated in 1999/2000 and is expected to be continued into the future. The site expresses time in GMT; subtract 5 hours to convert to Eastern Standard time. See: http://www.iol.ie/
 
bulletAdditional Maes Howe Web sites:
bullethttp://maeshowe.mypage.org  Victor Reijs has some fascinating drawings of the Maes Howe structure.
bullet http://www.stonesofwonder.com/  Robert Pollock's web site includes material on "Stones of Wonder: Prehistoric Observatories in Scotland." Also included are information on the key lines, and the dates of the equinoxes, solstices, midsummer and midwinter full moons from 1997 to 2030.
bullethttp://www.orkneyjar.com The "Maeshowe" site by Sigurd Towrie describes the megalith site, and includes many details, including some ancient graffiti.

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Sponsored link:

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bulletWinter Solstice Celebrations for Families and Households
bulletCircle Santuary:  Selena Fox discusses the focus of the celebration, including its timing, length, location, and featured elements. See: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/
bulletMyThinkLinks has a page titled "Greetings and Lore for Yuletide" at: http://www.mythinglinks.org/
bulletÁr nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc and other Druidic sites:
bullet http://www.adf.org/rituals/celtic/yule/wsolstice.html  ADF has published a winter solstice Druidic ritual, by Amergin Aryson.
bullethttp://www.candlegrove.com/ideas.html Teresa Ruano and friends has published ideas observing a winter solstice, either alone or with friends or family.
bullethttp://www.mindspring.com/~stardancer/winsols.htm Stardancer has a description of the solstice, and has links to a number of Druidic rituals that have been celebrated in past years.
bulletArchaeoastronomy:
bulletCrystalinks describes the "astronomical practices, celestial lore, mythologies, religions and world-views of" ancient cultures. See: http://www.crystalinks.com/
bulletThe Center for Archaeostronomy of the University of Maryland publishes  the journal "Archaeoastronomy," See: http://www.wam.umd.edu/  
bulletOther Winter Solstice Sites around the world:
bulletCarnac, France
bullethttp://www.rennet.org/tourism/carnac/
bulletChichen Itza, Mexico
bullet http://www.sacredsites.com/1st30/pyramid.html
bulletMedicine Wheels, America
bullet http://www.wholeo.net/Access/path/axPmascot.htm
bullet http://users.sdccu.net/alahoy/osanta4.htm
bulletStonehenge, England
bullethttp://www.crystalinks.com/stonehenge.html
bulletThe winter solstice essay on our web site:
bulletWinter solstice celebrations: Christmas, Saturnalia, Yule

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Last update: 2007-DEC-15
Coding by B.A. Robinson
Links checked: 2007-DEC

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