prehistoric-southwest | High Altitude Observatory

Pages belonging to Solar Astronomy in the Prehistoric Southwest

Solar Symbol Petroglyph

A row of three petroglyphs have been pecked on the smooth, nearly vertical face underneath the overhanging ledge of the larger boulder

Hopi Tawa Kátsina

Hopi Sun deity, Tawa Kátsina

Yellow Jacket

The flat, straight and elongated upper edge of this rock monolith is aligned approximately towards the North-East, and in the weeks preceding and following summer solstice would have cast a sharply pointed shadow on the outer wall of a building located immediately West of the monolith

Casa Rinconada

Casa Rinconada is one of five great kivas in Chaco Canyon

Solstice Window

A possible solstitial window alignment at Pueblo Bonito

Pueblo Bonito

Aerial view of Pueblo Bonito at sunrise, with East to the top of the picture

Hovenweep Castle

Holly Group at Hovenweep shows remarkable masonry skills used to contour the structures to the irregular shapes of boulders and recesses in the rocks

Appendix

The eccentric orbit of the Earth around the Sun

Horizon Calendars

The apparent daily path of the Sun in the sky

The Seasons

A schematic depiction of the Earth orbiting around the Sun

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