Long Man of Wilmington summer solstice: figure fully illuminated from sunrise to sunset. Long Man of Wilmington is Europe's largest human geoglyph and second largest in the world after the Giant of Atacama in Chile The geoglyph was likely originally chalk-cut, then grew with grass (called 'Green Man'), and is now concrete blocks painted white On summer solstice, the Long Man is illuminated by full sun from sunrise to sunset, the longest day
Europe's largest human geoglyph, the Long Man of Wilmington in Sussex, undergoes a remarkable transformation at summer solstice. He's illuminated by full sun from sunrise to sunset - the longest day of the year. Two tiny shadows appear on either side of the figure at sunrise and sunset, cast by natural gullies. At winter solstice, the figure remains in complete shadow all day. His two staffs may represent the balance between sun and moon, light and dark. The South Downs location offers commanding views of the surrounding landscape, though his age remains unknown.
Key Facts
- Long Man of Wilmington is Europe's largest human geoglyph and second largest in the world after the Giant of Atacama in Chile
- The geoglyph was likely originally chalk-cut, then grew with grass (called 'Green Man'), and is now concrete blocks painted white
- On summer solstice, the Long Man is illuminated by full sun from sunrise to sunset, the longest day
- Two tiny shadows appear on either side of the figure at sunrise and sunset, cast by natural gullies
- On winter solstice, the figure remains in complete shadow all day and night
- The nearby Windover Hill Long Barrow is oriented at 50-51 degrees, exactly matching the summer solstice sunrise direction
- The figure's two staffs may represent balance, echoing sun and moon duality
- The site is located on the South Downs in Sussex with commanding views over the surrounding landscape
Related site: Long Man of Wilmington — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Stuart Mason | Decoding The Long Man of Wilmington and Archaeoastronomy | Megalithomania Interview by MegalithomaniaUK