Abstract
A FEW years ago Hawkins1–3 demonstrated that Stonehenge had more astronomical significance than previously recognized, but serious criticisms have been raised against parts of his theory. In particular, Atkinson4,5 has challenged Hawkins's basic proposition that the Heel Stone indicated the direction of sunrise on midsummer morning. In this report I offer an improvement to Hawkins's theory, which accommodates this objection, and at the same time I propose an explanation of why the Heel Stone was asymmetrically situated, south of the centre line of the Avenue (see Fig. 1).
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References
Hawkins, G. S., Nature, 200, 306 (1963).
Hawkins, G. S., Nature, 202, 1258 (1964).
Hawkins, G. S., Vistas in Astronomy, 10, (Pergamon Press, London, 1968).
Atkinson, R. J. C., Stonehenge (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1956).
Atkinson, R. J. C., Antiquity, 40, 212 (1966).
Newham, C. A., The Enigma of Stonehenge (private publication, 1964).
CBS Television, Mystery of Stonehenge (McGraw-Hill, Film Department; New York, 1965).
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ROBINSON, J. Sunrise and Moonrise at Stonehenge. Nature 225, 1236–1237 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1038/2251236a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2251236a0
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