Lanyon Quoit

Lanyon Quoit

Lanyon Quoit is a dolmen in Cornwall. It is thought to have collapsed in a storm in 1815 and re-erected nine years later. It could also be different from its original appearance.


Lanyon Quoit, along with West Lanyon Quoit and Bosiliack Barrow, are in the same location in Cornwall.
A short distance further north are the Four Parish Rocks, Men an Tol, Boskednan Stone Circle (Nine Maidens), and Men Scryfa.

Men Scryfa is a single Neolithic stone. Men an Tol is dated to about 2200-2500 bc and has a defined astronomical connection.
Four Parish Rocks are a random selection of Neolithic stones.
Bosiliack Barrow is a selection of Neolithic stones that are arranged so as to produce a circle and are similar to the Four Parish Rocks.

Coordinates (Lanyon Quoit)
50.147349,-5.599033

Comparing similar sites then Bosiliack Barrow and Four Parish Rocks are 1159m and 9° apart.
Men an Tol and Men Scryfa are 342m and 4° apart.
Lanyon Quoit and West Lanyon Quoit are 642m and 7° apart.

If the total of distances apart (2143m) and total angles (20°) are divided, then a number of 107.15 is produced.
2143÷20=107.15
The number is an angle from the Beltany Stone Circle, which was shown to be either dated to 2700 bc or 1259 bc (finally considered 1250 bc).
(This was an era when numbers were used from past eras like the Giza pyramids, and also, some monuments might have been modernised)

The monuments not included in these pairings are the Boskednan Stone Circle and Mulfra Quoit.
(If Boskednan Stone Circle and Mulfra Quoit are included, then they are 1776m and 7° apart, giving a total of 3919m and 27°.
3919÷27=145.15)



Discussion
It would be simpler to dismiss all these sites as part of land clearing but they were probably cairns or dolmens from before 2700 bc, preference probably towards dolmens as opposed to sculptures because of the two large stone caps.
No stones from the original Lanyon Quoit supports survive as ground clearance of the dolmen was said to be 6-7 ft but it is possible that those original stones made their way to the Boskednan Stone Circle along with other stones. The distance is just under a mile, and it might have been easier and quicker to achieve than raise the capstone.

(Further examples)
For the Dolmen Crucuno in the town of Plouharnel, France the supports are much nearer 3 ft which seems the norm, with there being a number of similiar shaped stone supports amongst the monuments, possibly enough for two builds.
It could be suggested that originally, there were two dolmens (probably further apart) that were adjusted. As another example, the Spinster's Rock near Drewsteignton in Devon is more likely a better example of what Lanyon Quoit could have appeared like. It has a 6ft clearance and points towards the southwest at an angle of about 49° (although it was said to have collapsed in 1862, as the supports are intact then it is possible that the alignment is only slightly off).

The 49° at that time was probably 40° for sunset and 9° for tilt, this suggests that they used the sunset and tilt at that time and not at maximum tilt. These sorts of dolmens were usually in line with the rock outcrop that they were sculptured on. They also dated from 5510 bc (for when a date from 9° suggests), which would equate as 11.62°.

Another possibility is that the 49° is the latitude at the location and a representation of what they were building, latitude being 50.702°.
So considering that it is the coordinates plus the years as a tilt until 1985. This shows that it was incorrectly re-erected or correctly onto an adjustment before. The correct angle at this latitude is 50.702° as 40+10.702° (4920 bc), or 10.702° off from the area it represented.

(Coordinates)
Coordinates Spinster's Rock at 50.702°
50.702086,-3.840943

Coordinates Lanyon Quoit at 70°
50.147321,-5.599050

At Lanyon Quoit, 50.147° it is the latitude, and if it were 60.849° it would be latitude and tilt, which there is a notable difference between the two.
(One possibility would be to find an outcrop of rock or feature that it represented)
Lanyon Quoit is at 70° a difference of 19.853° from it's coordinates and this equates to 10823 bc or 77.6 years after minimal tilt (-20°).
(Due to the small angle of accuracy of 0.12° it is possibly a measurement error due to its irregular shape or re-erection)

If this is correct, then it is likely that Spinster's Rock represented maximum tilt at that location or got displaced by 20°. (The maximum tilt represented as 0° at the latitude, the location and tilt at maximum represented minimal tilt).
Assuming neither monument got moved, then the angle is 26.3° in a triangle of ratio 2:1.
It is possible that their distances apart are unconnected, but one of them represents minimal tilt and the other maximum tilt. (These were then probably built by the same people but not necessarily together). Also, because Men Scryfa is at 77° north of Lanyon Quoit and is also Neolithic, then the two could be connected, a sort of confirmation of angle check. It isn't clear why one would be required or why it is 77 years short of minimal tilt and not at 90°.

Coordinates Men Scryfa
50.161748,-5.604124


The distance is 1.643m or 5390 ft, as 1643 metres happens to be 1000π cubits.

1000π×0.523=3141.49


The triangle between the three is in a ratio 2:1, a triangle of basic measurements of ratio 2:1 has an area of '1' and the perimeter is '5.23' and distance between is √(5).
It could be suggested that the Neolithic stone is an addition probably in the 24-27th century bc, it is also at an altitude of 199m which is very near Menkaure's pyramid which the slope is representative of a cubit.




Conclusion
Although it was said to have collapsed, it is possible that this is inaccurate, and only one pillar was dislodged with its current configuration similar to its original. This can also be applied to the Spinster's Rock and might have been a way to attract visitors to the town in the 18th to 20th century.
Of this group, Bosiliack Barrow is probably land clearing and, as such, would have been the reason so as to assertian local people's understanding of the dolmens. Lanyon Quoit and Spinster's Rock represent maximum and minimal tilt of 19.853°, a value that is slightly different from other calculations.

It is possible stones and ideas from earlier builds were used but the numbers suggest a build after 2700 bc with an addition of a couple of circles added making it appear more complicated (added in about 1250 bc).

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