Fourknocks Megalithic Passage Tomb: Small passage tomb with Deneb star alignment demonstrating stellar astronomy circa 3000 BC. Fourknocks Megalithic Passage Tomb is a small passage tomb less than 15 meters in diameter near Newgrange. Alignment initially seemed too far north for sun or moon until computer recreation of 3000 BC sky revealed Deneb (bright star in Cygnus) rising at that position This finding suggests Neolithic Irish were not merely solar astronomers but stellar and lunar astronomers who could predict alignments
Fourknocks Megalithic Passage Tomb, a small passage tomb under 15m diameter near Newgrange, seemed misaligned until computer recreation of 3000 BC skies revealed Deneb, the bright star in Cygnus, rising at its position. This suggests Neolithic Irish were not merely solar but stellar and lunar astronomers with predictive capabilities. At the exact time these sites were in use, Deneb momentarily set due north, a rare occurrence in the 26,000-year precession cycle.
Key Facts
- Fourknocks Megalithic Passage Tomb is a small passage tomb less than 15 meters in diameter near Newgrange.
- Alignment initially seemed too far north for sun or moon until computer recreation of 3000 BC sky revealed Deneb (bright star in Cygnus) rising at that position
- This finding suggests Neolithic Irish were not merely solar astronomers but stellar and lunar astronomers who could predict alignments
- At the specific time Newgrange. and Fourknocks Megalithic Passage Tomb were in use, Deneb momentarily set due north (only time for about a century in the 26,000-year precession cycle)
- The moment Deneb sets in Forox, the Milky Way is visible as a complete ring on the horizon from Newgrange.
Related site: Fourknocks Megalithic Passage Tomb — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Anthony Murphy | In Search of Ireland's Ancient Astronomers | Megalithomania 2007 | AUDIO by MegalithomaniaUK