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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, Toormore

Ratooragh: Wedge Tomb CO139-024

NGR 08885/03485 (IV 88977 ITM 34937 / 51.55668, -9.60152) [Googlemap]

Trajectories 1800BCE. Tap/Click pics for big ones.
Panoramic view with luni-solar trajectories c.1800BCE from Ratooragh Wedge Tomb, Cork, Ireland. Ratooragh Wedge Tomb is 1km east of the R591 between Toormore and Durrus.

South is indicated by the intersection of two hills, between two sections of sea horizon [Pic].

North is on a local high point [Pic].

Axially NE from Ratooragh Wedge Tomb, Cork, Ireland. It is situated on a terrace on the slope of the north side of a valley, at the foot of Coomfarna mountain. The reverse orientation of the tomb is towards the summer cross-quarter which falls in a dip on the ridge. (Compare with Altar, 5.5km to the south-west).

E from Ratooragh Wedge Tomb, Cork, Ireland. To the east, the summit of Mt. Gabriel is accurately equinoctial. On the ridge which runs westwards from Mt. Gabriel virtually every high and low point forms a significant marker.

SE from Ratooragh Wedge Tomb, Cork, Ireland. The minor standstillLunistice positions vary cyclically over an 18.6 year period but are fairly static for more than a year at either end of the range rises from a high point and the lunar mid­point is in a dip. Finally the most extreme southerly moonrise position is in the last and lowest dip of the ridge, just before the cairn of another megalithic tomb at Gubbeen. This cairn provides a rough marker for the zodiac limits and makes a curious astronomical symmetry with Streek Head across the bay but was, almost certainly, not built for that purpose.

SW from Ratooragh Wedge Tomb, Cork, Ireland. To the south-west, the view down the Mizen peninsula is both stunning and very useful, with the major peaks marking significant events.

W from Ratooragh Wedge Tomb, Cork, Ireland. The western tomb orientation spans a period of two or three weeks, centred somewhat north of the winter cross-quarter [Pic]. The small forestry plantation may block sight of the end of the Muintirvara peninsula, otherwise this section of the horizon is very local. The view across the bay may be improved by standing on top of the tomb, which is easy to do and possibly a design feature [Pic].

NW from Ratooragh Wedge Tomb, Cork, Ireland. The north-west horizon is very close and thus exact observer location is critical in this direction.

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