Goseck Circle, Goseck, Germany
Posted by: 
g300td
N 51° 11.894 E 011° 51.879
32U E 700135 N 5675770
The oldest known Solar observatory in the world
Waymark Code: WMMPX0
Location: Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
Date Posted: 10/22/2014
Views: 7
"The Goseck circle is a Neolithic structure in Goseck in the Burgenlandkreis district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the oldest and best known of the so-called Circular Enclosures associated with the Central European Neolithic. It is also the oldest known Solar observatory in the world. It consists of a set of concentric ditches 75 metres (246 feet) across and two palisade rings containing gates in places aligned with sunrise and sunset on the solstice days.
The Goseck circle is the oldest known structure with this type of astronomical alignment. Its construction is dated to approximately the 49th century BC, and it seems to have remained in use until about the 47th century. This corresponds to the transitional phase between the Neolithic Linear Pottery and Stroke-ornamented ware cultures. It is one of a larger group of so-called Circular Enclosures in the Elbe and Danube region, most of which show similar alignments.
The existence of the site was made public in August 2003, and it was opened for visitors in December 2005.
The Goseck ring is one of the best preserved and extensively investigated of the many similar structures built at around the same time. In the first opening of the site, a state archaeologist Harald Meller called it "a milestone in archaeological research".
Traces of the original configuration reveal that the Goseck ring consisted of four concentric circles, a mound, a ditch, and two wooden palisades. The palisades had three sets of gates facing southeast, southwest, and north. At the winter solstice, observers at the center would have seen the sun rise and set through the southeast and southwest gates.
Archaeologists generally agree that Goseck circle was used for observation of the course of the Sun in the course of the solar year. Together with calendar calculations, it allowed coordinating an easily judged lunar calendar with the more demanding measurements of a solar calendar."
Source: Wikipedia
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