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Anciently sacred because horizon shape & cyclical celestial patterns are in useful harmony at this place.

Orange lines mark the annual solar round. Lunistice positions over the 18.6 year lunar nodal cycle are blue. More about the Solar CalendarMore about the Lunar Calendar

mega-what / ancient sacred places / Ireland, West Cork, Mizen Peninsula, Schull

Glan / Gubbeen: Unclassified Tomb CO139-025

NGR 90440/32390 (IV 90410 ITM 32457 / 51.53468, -9.58009) [Googlemap]

Trajectories 1800BCE. Tap/Click pics for big ones.
Gubbeen Unclassified Tomb is some 2km west of Schull and a steep climb up a rocky ridge. The site has a history of erroneous location information and the SMR records it as in the townland of Gubbeen but it is actually in Glan, about 70m NNW of the official NGR.

Panoramic view with luni-solar trajectories from Gubbeen Unclassified Tomb, Cork, Ireland. It is potentially early - the rocky ridge on which it stands and along which it looks would have been easy to clear of any scrub that it might have supported and the remaining target horizons are distant enough that presence or absence of trees on them could never have been an issue. What remains is a polygonal arrangement of slabs, open to the north-east and set upon the level top of a rock rib. Traces of a cairn surround it.

South is on the sea, in a dip of both the actual horizon and the coastline [Pic]. North is in a dip [Pic].

Axially NE from Gubbeen Unclassified Tomb, Cork, Ireland. The view north-east towards Mt. Gabriel is a clear and simple example of horizon astronomy as the slope has been well fitted to the major zone of interest. The summer cross-quarters are at the foot of the slope and the minor end of the lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. range just above it at a level step. The prominent notch towards the top of the slope is accurate for a quarter-month off summer solstice, which means that the solstice itself is when the sun's disc is just above it and the lunar mid­point is at the slope top just south of it. The summit marks the most extreme northerly moonrise position such that the absolute maximum is when the disc just clears it completely, thus making it very accurate. The radar dome wasn't there then of course!

E from Gubbeen Unclassified Tomb, Cork, Ireland. The eastern horizon is low and distant but the half month south of the summer cross-quarter and the half months both sides of the equinox all occur where there are noticeable hills to mark them.

SE from Gubbeen Unclassified Tomb, Cork, Ireland. The south-eastern quadrant again provides more utility. Notably, the winter cross-quarters are at the end of the main­land, winter solstice on the summit of Sherkin Island and the lunar maximum at the first highpoint of Clear Island with the zodiacal limits at its summit.

Axially SW from Gubbeen Unclassified Tomb, Cork, Ireland. To the south-west, the Mizen peninsula has been well fitted to the solar year in particular, though it also serves for the minor half of the lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. range. The winter solstice and the major half of the lunisticeLunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. The lunar equivalent of solstices - more. range occur on a sea horizon. This is not a problem as positions may be judged using the coastline, especially in conjunction with beams of reflected light shining across the sea surface.

W from Gubbeen Unclassified Tomb, Cork, Ireland. The equinox too is marked is marked by a beam of light across a narrow neck of water. North of this, some distant mountains beyond the nearer skyline are barely visible in the photo then, approaching the cross-quarter and the most important sector, the quality improves again.

NW from Gubbeen Unclassified Tomb, Cork, Ireland. This Tomb is visible on the horizon from Ratooragh Wedge Tomb 2.9km to the north-west and Arderrawinny Portal Tomb 3.4km to the south-west.

These relationships are not astronomically significant and almost certainly coincidental.

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