Jantar Mantar, Jaipur, India
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur, India
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Cahokia Mounds, Illinois, USA
Cahokia Mounds is one of the finest examples of Native American Astronomy in the US. The entire city of Cahokia Mounds is aligned with cardinal directions! Significant astronomical structures and features of this ancient civilization, once having one of the largest populations in the world, are the circular Woodhenges designed around a central post and a circle of posts around the periphery.
John Panagos © 2020
John Panagos © 2017
Replica of beaker found at Cahokia Mounds shows circular design of Woodhenge and the cardinal directions.
Sketch of Beaker
This is a sketch of design on a replica of the beaker found in a pit at Woodhenge - near a winter solstice post. The design has the circle and cross world symbol, an exterior rayed sun circle and extending channels at positions consistent with the winter solstice sunrise and sunset if viewed as "map" of Woodhehdge at Cahokia Mounds. (Adapted from Illinois State Museum.)
Mr. Panagos standing in front of reconstructed center post at Woodhenge, Cahokia Mounds
Horizon Calendar - and WOOD POSTS are like the stones in Stonehenge. Evidence indicates there were wood posts. Woodhenge 3 is where posts are still there. In the morning of the Equinox, when the sun rises over Monks Mound, look East while standing at the post in center of the circle. Ceremonial gatherings might have taken place at Woodhenge. Monks Mound is the largest mound at Cahokia, and it is speculated that the kings or rulers of the city would stand on top of these Mounds during the mornings of the Equinoxes to overlook their city.