Beltany Stone Circle

Beltany Stone Circle

The Beltany Stone Circle is a Bronze Age stone circle just south of Raphoe town in County Donegal, Ireland.

Although though to date to 2100-700 bc, there is a sacred site of Neolithic monuments and a passage tomb complex at Kilmonaster with Beltany not far away.


Circle
The stones are, in most part, quite irregular with an outside stone that aligns at 45° and a notched stone in the circumference.

Coordinates
54.850305,-7.604857


Assuming the smaller part buried stones are support stones, then there are sixty-four with one outside the circle.
If the stones are split using two 45° then there are four segments, and they have 7,15,22, and 20 stones.
If these segments are paired as 22/7 and 15/20, then the following are produced.
(15 and 20 aren't connected otherwise)

15×20=300
360÷300=1.2
22÷7=π

This could be obliquity and pi.
π as degrees is equal to 3.142° and as a year equals 2027 years in length.

π÷1.55=2.0268
2.0268×1000=2027
5510−2027=3483

If obliquity is considered as a direct year by an angle in the circle, then it could be the tallest stone on the circumference which is at an angle 17° to one of the marker stones which are at 90° to each other.

62°-45°=17°
17°+90°=107°

This gives 107 years, and it could be an addition or a subtraction with pi in years. The two numbers are 2134 and 1920.

2027+107=2134
2027-107=1920


Discussion
In another article, it was shown that the Lochmaben Stone and Meini Gwyr were built within years of each other by the use of the same theme, primers, and build. They also showed that around 4700-3300 bc people didn't always use maximum tilt to measure from but understood that it existed. Beltany Stone Circle uses 45° at maximum tilt and 90° separation angles, demonstrating it was aligned to maximum tilt, but the number is probably 5510 bc. Using this number, then the years of build were 3376 or 3590, this would put it at the same time as Newgrange as it was built in 3249-3310 bc.


5510−2134=3376
5510−1920=3590

As an angle, the 3376 would equal 8.255° and 3590 would equal 8.59°.

The angle of 8.255° has been used elsewhere in the Scorhill Stone Circle in Dartmoor, where they also used 7° and the number 2 along with primers.
The circle is considered as a constellation of a segment of sky that was depicted onto the circle.
(There was no concerable date to the build, but it is possible that there is a connection by angle and theme. Along with the use of a constellation as opposed to separate stars, which were more popular from 2700 bc onwards. It could suggest the older dates are correct but also 3376 bc as opposed to 3590 bc. This is because New Grange or the earlier settlement on that site wasn't built yet).
Whereas Scorhill Stone Circle in Dartmoor demonstrates a constellation on a circle, Beltany Stone Circle only demonstrates a year with the use of pi and obliquity.


Further
(1) Another possibility that suggests to confirm the year is by using the width which is 145ft, in metres this is 44.196 and if this number is subtracted from 45 it gives a possible obliquity angle of 0.804°.

44.196−45=0.804°
0.804÷1.2=0.67
0.67×10250=6867.5
6867.5−1985−1584=3298.5

This would then possibly make it one of the oldest stone circles, built in the early days of constructing cairns, tombs, and circles. As such, it might not have had a stellar theme but concentrated on accurate dates from both 5510 bc and the maximum tilt of 1985.


(2) Because it isn't clear from above that there is any purpose for the circle, then there is another possibility that dates it to 2700 bc.
This is because of altitude, which in the area is 104m or 341ft. Although this is unconnected with anything else, it does convert to the Egyptian royal cubit, which was shown to date from about 2700 bc.

It uses the location altitude and latitude at maximum tilt, and its ratio is a cubit.

54.85÷104.875=0.523

This, then, could be its latitude and altitude, and obliquity used from an earlier date, a value of 0.804. It has been shown that several stone monuments have been altered to include altitude, connecting it with the Giza pyramids. This was thought to be the work of the ancient Egyptians, but it might not necessarily be them but rather the use of a numbering system that included those values. The use of altitude and latitude for maximum tilt was only used by two groups of people. They were either from 4600 bc or about 2700 bc.

(3) Another possibility is based on theme.
If the theme is used, then the best date would be comparable with the Cockpit Stone Circle, which is also at the same latitude. This, in turn, has been shown to date to the same date as Castlerigg
This circle might have had an alternative meaning when built but angled to imply a much older date, which is also a characteristic of the Cockpit Stone Circle.

Assuming a built near to Castlerigg and Cockpit Stone Circle, then the following could be correct.

A partial lunar eclipse occurred on;
16th February, 1250 bc, the penumbral eclipse lasted for 5 hours and 35 minutes, and the partial eclipse lasted for 2 hours and 53 minutes with a maximum eclipse at 21:51:43.


Of the stones to the right of the largest, are grouped in 1/4()2, () represents the tallest stone. This can be 42° as an angle from the tall stone, which passes through a gap opposite, or it can be 142°.
142° as a ratio of 360° is equal to 2.53. This could mean 2hrs 53mins.

To the right of these stones and continuing anti-clockwise, there are stones in groups of 9/5/1. This could mean maximum ecplise.

If 360÷142=2.53, then 5hrs 35mins is equal to 535°, or 360°+175° or 5° short of 1.5 rotations

(If the large stone to the 42° angle is equal to 53° then subtracting 5° equates to 48° and splits the following 10 stones on the circle at 5. This angle from the largest stone to the following stone becomes 58° and 2 stones short of the 42° angle that splits the circle).

A total solar eclipse occurred on;
4th March, 1250 bc with maximum eclipse at 02:57:48 lasting for 4mins 14secs.


The following stones continuing anti-clockwise are grouped as 5/1/1/3/1/14.
The maximum ecplise occurred near the location 31.100286,115.465718 in China, if the 31 and 115 are used for maximum that leaves 4mins and 14secs, (although is seems that the 4mins isn't included).



Conclusion
From the examples, the circle appears to connect to the cubit, but continuing using stone locations in sequence to represent numbers for a location or time seems like the correct answer.

Apart from the 4-minute duration of the solar eclipse, the circle depicts the lunar eclipse and solar eclipse for the year 1250 bc.
The year could be defined as 12.50 on a clock face at maximum tilt, showing they used 24 hours for a day that was split in two 12 hours.


The inclusion of 45° and cubit with the possibility of an older build doesn't necessarily suggest exactly those numbers but instead suggests accuracy from the experience of older and more experienced builders. From this, it can be shown that this build dates to some time shortly after 1250 bc.

Beltony Stone Circle

Archeology77 ©