Solstice

Today is the Winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Last summer I visited Rome, Malta and Ireland. I'm a history buff and will visit historic site, museums and churches until I can't walk anymore. I visited two sites, one in Malta, and the other in Ireland, that are both designated World Heritage Sites.

Hagar Qim on Malta is the oldest free-standing monuments in the world at about 3,600 BC. It was a temple and very little is known about the people who built it. Doorways and holes in the walls are aligned to various astronomical events like the winter solstice.

Another fascinating site is Newgrange in the Boyne Valley in Ireland. This passage tomb, from about the same period, has a window above the entrance door that allows sunlight from the rising sun on December 21 to illuminate the interior of the burial mound.

Both structures are amazing considering the limited resources of the builders. They didn't have the wheel or metal tools. yet they were able to carve and transport thousands of tons of stones and assemble them into such complex structures. Amazing.

I was also struck by their astronomical knowledge. Probably not surprising considering their reliance on the growing seasons. Although we describe this day as the shortest day of the year. To them I was probably seen as the start of a new year. Starting today the days would get longer and the sun will return to grow the crops and feed the people.

So, happy new year, happy holidays and hope is born again.