July- 30, 1908] 



JVA TURE 



295 



kSTRONOUlCXL ARCHAEOLOGY IN WALES. 



A SOCIETY for the astronomical study of ancient 

 monuments in Wales is being formed in imita- 

 tion of a society for the same purpose which has been 

 for some time at worl-c in Cornwall. The movement 

 was inaugurated in August of last year at Swan>ea, 

 where Sir Norman Lockyer delivered a lecture to the 

 members of the Ivoyal Institution of South Wales, the 

 oldest scientific society in Wales, on the antiquity 

 of the Gorsedd. At the close of the lecture a resolu- 

 tion was passed in favour of forming " a society for 

 the astronomical study of stone monuments in 

 Wales." Since then o'ther local scientific societies 

 have given formal pledges of support to the work, 

 such as the Cardiff and Rhondda Naturalists' Socie- 

 ties, and the Astronomical Society of Wales. The 

 Swansea Scientific Society, under the leadership of the 

 experienced archaeologist. Colonel W. LI. Morgan, 

 have surveyed several monuments with an accuracy 

 sufiicient to meet the requirements of the astronomical 

 inquiry. A small society at Bridgend has started 

 work in th^same direction. 



The Swansea men first showed their appreciation 

 of the work by printing Sir Norman Lockyer "s lecture, 

 to which diagrams were added to make the pamphlet 

 a handy field-book for workers. 



In the spring Sir Norman visited Anglesey and 

 Carnarvonshire, and the present writer joined, him. 

 .Anglesey is regarded as the last home of Druidism 

 in Wales, and we were very pleased to find the 

 measures of the monuments there, so to speak, so 

 uniformlv orthodox. Both before and since the visit 

 Lord Boston and Mr. Neil Baynes have also been 

 working on the monuments. 



The results of the measurements made are as 

 follows. They have already been communicated to 

 the fellows of the new society : — 



Theoretical Solar Aoimiitlis, computed for sun's radius 

 (2' shou<ing), taking refraction into account. 



.Mignment and con- 

 ditions 



Elevation of horizon 



Summer Solstice ... N. 46 40 E. ... N. 48 45 E. ... N. 50 36 E. 



Winter Solstice ... S. 49 40 E. ... S. 47 34 E. ... S. 45 32 E. 



May Sun N. 60 48 E. ... N. 62 32 E. ... N. 64 12 E. 



November Sun ... S. 63 9 E. .. S. 61 24 E. ... S. 59 40 E. 



Latitude taken generally as 53° N., magnetic varia- 

 tion as 18° W. ; in calculating the solar declinations 

 it is assumed that 2' of the sun's radius was showing, 

 and refraction has been taken into account. 



Measures made bv Sir Norman Locliver and Rev. J. 

 Griffith. 



Summer Solstice, Risim; (present declination, 

 N. 23° 27'). 



Bryn Celli Ddu. 



Magnetic, 69°: true, 51°; (value along- creepway) ; hill 



estimated 2°, 

 .\z.. \. 51° E. ; dec, 23° 31' N. 



Sttmmer Solstice, Setting. 

 Prcsaddfcd. 



Magnetic, 152°; true, 134°; through cromlech to back 



stone. Amp. = E. 44° S. reversed; take 1° hill. 

 .'\z., X. 46° W., dec, 25° 2' N. 



n'iutcr Solstice, Rising. 

 Pen y Cniac. 



Magnetic, 328° ; reversed, 148° ; true, 130°. .\mp. E. 



40° S. ; sea horizon. 

 Xz., S. 50° E., dec, 23° 28' S. 



Glyn. 



M^g-. 33°°: reversed, 150°; true, 132°. .\nip. E. 42° S. ; 



■ take 1° hill. 

 .\z., S. 48° E., dec, 23° 25' S. 



NO. 2022, VOL. 78] 



7v Newvdd, line of two supporters. 

 'Mag.,' 155°; true, 137°. Amp., E. 47° S. ; take 1° hill. 

 .\z., S. 43° E., dec, 25" 47' S. 



Ccfn Isaf, at right angles to big back stone (approximate). 

 Mag., 147°; true, 129°. Amp., E. 39° S. ; hill, 0°. 

 .\z., S. 51° E., dec, 22° 58' S. 



LtanfechcU. 



Line from cromlech to Meini Hirion (25-inch map) ; true, 

 S. 50° E. ; hill (from i-inch map) about 26' ; dec, 

 "° 3S' S. 



May Year (declination 16° 20' N. or S.). 



May. 

 Pant-y-Sacr. • . 



Mag., 77°; true, 59°; sea horizon (visible). 



Az., N. 59° E., dec, 17° 22' N. May 10, August 4. 



Novemher. 

 Plas Xeivydd. 



Mag., 137°; true, 119°. Amp., E. 29° S. ; outlook 



toward Snowdon ; hill, 3°. 

 .\z. = S. 61° E., dec = 14° 53' S. November 2, 

 February 9. 



Pleiades. 

 Plas Newydd Mound. 



Mag., 2'69°; reversed, 89°; true, 71°; hill, 0". 



.\z. = N. 71° E., dec, 10° 50' N. Pleiades, 1000 B.C. 



Yslinn Ccgid (Criccieih). 

 Mag., 279°; reversed, 99°; true, 81°; hill, 4°. 

 .Az. = N. 81° E., dec, 8° 30' N. Pleiades, 1400 B.C. 



Clock Star. 



Lligivv, outstanding stone. 



Mag., 208°; reversed, 28°; true, 10°; hill, i°. 

 Az., N. 10° E., dec, 36° 15'. Capella, 1000 B.C. ; 

 .Arcturus, 1200 B.C. 



Measures by Lord Boston and E. N. Baynes, Esq. 



Sunnner Solstice, Rising. 

 Bryn Celli Ddu. 



Mag., 70°; true, ^2°; hill (as above) estimated 2°. 

 .Az., N. 52° E. ; dec, 23° o' N. 



Ty Neivydd. 



Mag., 71° 30'; true, ^3° 30': hill (as above), take 1°. 

 .\z., N. 53° 30' E. ; dec, 21° 18' N. 



November. 



Bodoii'vr (mean value of N. and S.E. stones). 



Mag., 315^; reversed, 135°; true, 117°; hill (say), 2°. 

 .\z., S. 63° E. ; dec, 14° 50' S. November 3, 

 February 9. 



Equinoctial. 

 IJigivy, angle of left opening stone; value from chamber 

 under capstone. 

 Mag., 110°; true, 92°. Amp., E. 2° S. ; sea horizon. 

 Az.. S. 88" E. ; dec, 1° 50' S. 

 Henhlas, direct outlook between supporters (approximate). 

 Mag., 108°; true, 9o'' = E. ; hill (say), 1° ; dec, 0°. 



It is the aim of the society to bring together the 

 workers on the astronomical inquiry. The annual 

 subscription is three shillings. It is proposed to issue 

 brief reports of progress. Besides the planning and 

 orienting of the monuments, workers in Wales can 

 help greatly by sending in all available information 

 about them. 



Now that the Prime Minister has promised to 

 appoint a Roval Commission to inquire into the con- 

 dition of the ancient monuments of Wales, it is to be 

 hoped that advantage will be taken of such a golden 

 opportunity to carry out an adequate astronomical 

 survev of the stone monuments of the Principality. 



John Griffith, 



Hon. Sec, S.A.S.A.M. (Wales), 



Llangynwyd, Glam. 



