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Author Topic: Maes Howe  (Read 799 times)

Anchorman

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Maes Howe
« on: December 21, 2021, 09:32:55 AM »
For anyone interested,there's a live stream presentation from Maes Howe  in Orkney today to mark the winter solstice Maes Howe is a superbly built chambered cairn tomb dating to the neolithic period, contemporary with Stonehenge, part of the enigmatic Brodgar settlement which is still yielding fantastic archaeology today. Covid doesn't permit the public access, but the event is noted - the Sunset beam traversing the corridor to illuminate the surface of the wall at the back of the chamber - demonstrating a great skill in alignment and astronomy. https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/whats-on/event/?eventId=441eeb6b-7005-4986-af6d-ade400967bc4
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"for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."

Gordon

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Re: Maes Howe
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2021, 09:44:05 AM »
Hopefully the skies will stay clear: I've been inside Maes Howe, which was memorable, though these days I'm not sure I could bend low enough to get through the entrance.

Orkney us a fascinating place and well worth a visit
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Anchorman

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Re: Maes Howe
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2021, 10:07:42 AM »
Quote from: Gordon on December 21, 2021, 09:44:05 AM
Hopefully the skies will stay clear: I've been inside Maes Howe, which was memorable, though these days I'm not sure I could bend low enough to get through the entrance.

Orkney us a fascinating place and well worth a visit
   




Yep.
Crawling along that passage without a hard hat and knee pads is a bad move.
(Posted with feeling).
That whole area is astonishing; the temple complex unearthed nearby is rewriting the prehistory books every year.
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"for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."

Nearly Sane

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Re: Maes Howe
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2021, 10:31:56 AM »
Quote from: Anchorman on December 21, 2021, 10:07:42 AM
   




Yep.
Crawling along that passage without a hard hat and knee pads is a bad move.
(Posted with feeling).
That whole area is astonishing; the temple complex unearthed nearby is rewriting the prehistory books every year.
I haven't made it to Orkney. I would love to go. We don't really make enough of this.
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Gordon

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Re: Maes Howe
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2021, 10:49:12 AM »
I was a regular visitor for work purposes, back in the day. I remember one day the plane back wasn't until late afternoon and  by mid-morning there was nothing left for me to do until it was time to go to the airport.

So a colleague said I could borrow her car for a couple of hours - so I did and drove to the Ring of Brodgar and for an hour or so and I had it all to myself - it was a wonderful way to spend an hour.

If anyone is inclined to go (post- Covid) you shouldn't miss Skara Brae and, of course, Maes Howe.
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Anchorman

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Re: Maes Howe
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2021, 11:05:42 AM »
Quote from: Nearly Sane on December 21, 2021, 10:31:56 AM
I haven't made it to Orkney. I would love to go. We don't really make enough of this.
   


The whole shebang - including Scara brae, the 'tob of the Eagles', etc, is breathtaking, NS. Stonehenge gets the lions share of publicity as far as ancient monuments go; possibly because of its' present proximity to centres of population.
Maes Howe sits on the landscape exactly as it did four thousanfd years ago, untouched (apart from rather good Viking fraffiti) by tourists since then.
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"for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."

Nearly Sane

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Re: Maes Howe
« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2021, 11:07:35 AM »
There are some marvellous ancient sites in the UK, and in the main, beyond Stonehenge, they are not celebrated and publicised enough.
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Gordon

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Re: Maes Howe
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2021, 11:26:53 AM »
My favourite place on Orkney is Birsay, a tidal island at the top of the largest island, Mainland - you need to keep an eye on the tides if you intend to visit!

It looks like a gentle stroll (see pic) but the far side consists of spectacular cliffs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brough_of_Birsay
« Last Edit: December 21, 2021, 11:46:14 AM by Gordon »
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