<< Books/Products >> Book Review: Stonehenge - Solving the Neolithic Universe by Jonathan Morris
Submitted by sem on Thursday, 04 July 2013 Page Views: 11444
Neolithic and Bronze AgeCountry: England County: Wiltshire Type: HengeInternal Links:
For those unfamiliar with the background, a while ago Jon wrote an adventure novel set in the Neolithic, entitled “The Broken Stone: and the secret of the Heavens’ Henge.” This novel was written after the author was carrying out a research project into a renewable energy device using a rotating solar collector and he realised that Stonehenge was a perfect fit for all the features of his invention. This publication is in essence the science behind the novel plus some more up to date research.
The book is in six parts and can be summarized as follows:-
Part 1 - showing how Stonehenge’s plan layout is the same as a geocentric description of the Universe.
Part 2 - shows how this knowledge could have been obtained.
Part 3 - is about how the monument would have been perceived.
Part 4 - more recent evidence available after publication of The Broken Stone.
Part 5 - a summary of the above.
Part 6 - a short extract from the novel.
The first part is by far the largest section of the book and in it Jon seeks to show that with the aid of some wooden poles, rope and polished tin mirrors, Stonehenge’s plan layout could have been used as an idealised geocentric description of the Universe.
The concept of a “Plan layout” here is central to the whole theory as it requires that the builders envisaged a complete lintel circle, something that has been argued over for years. Nevertheless, the author assumes they did and gives a reasoned argument for our ancestors being capable of producing a spectacular public display of solar movement.
In Part 2 the author dons his experimental archaeologist’s garb and, again using sticks and string (as in the early days) shows how our ancestors could have plotted stellar movement and may have come to the conclusion that the earth was a sphere. Along the way he also visits a number of barrows and tumuli that could have played a part in these calculations.
Part 3 relies heavily on folk tales, especially Irish and (Holy) Grail lore. For me this was the least interesting section and is actually superfluous to the main theory, luckily by Part 4 we are back on solid ground. Here Jon relies heavily on Professor Parker-Pearson and The Stonehenge Riverside Project’s “Stonehenge: Exploring the Greatest Stone Age Mystery” and English Heritage’s laser scan of the monument. He also points out that some of these recent discoveries were forecast in The Broken Stone.
Overall I found this publication highly readable, being both informative and slightly controversial. A basic knowledge of the period would help the reader but most MegP devotees should have this. A basic knowledge of trigonometry would also help, but the book has enough illustrations (photographs, line drawings, diagrams and computer-aided pictures) to overcome the problem.
The author has obviously done a lot of research, but more importantly has put in a lot of leg-work visiting the sites mentioned in the book and has actually tried the experiments using only the materials available to megalithic peoples. When someone has done (or tried to do) something, you get an added depth to the experience and this certainly comes across in Jon’s writing. Page 11 has a marvellous example, when attempting to view the exact point on the horizon where the sun rises/sets. Even on a clear day this is often impossible due to the haze, something I also know through bitter experience.
The one thing that makes this book a winner is the fact that it’s central theory is not a house of cards. The various parts are not all required to prove that Stonehenge was a geocentric “planetarium” (or whatever the solar equivalent is) and equally you can accept all the parts but reject the final conclusion.
One possible drawback to the publication is that it is only available in e-book. If you want the version for your PC you also have to download an app (a sort of mini-program) to allow your computer to read it. No problem for seasoned PC-users but a bit daunting for Luddites and technophobes like me. Plus yet more stuff to clutter up the hard-drive. However my wife downloaded the Kindle version with no problems and it was quicker than having to go to the shop for it!
Is “Stonehenge’s plan layout a geocentric description of the Universe and capable of producing a spectacular public display of solar movement” (paraphrased from the book)? I’m not sure. But if e-books are now the “real thing” maybe our ancestors were able to accept a virtual sun in the same way.
Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Stonehenge.
Review by Simon Charlesworth
Stonehenge - Solving the Neolithic UniverseAuthor - Jonathan Morris
Published by Handow (Hanwell & Dowling)
Kindle Purchase price £1.53
Available for download from Amazon.co.uk
Jon M's novel “The Broken Stone: and the secret of the Heavens’ Henge” as also available for download.
You can read more of Jon M's thoughts and site visits elsewhere on the Portal
Note: Help wanted Solving the Neolithic Universe, free download of the ebook for the next few days
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