Axe head art at Stonehenge

 

Prehistoric carvings dating from the Bronze Age have been found at Stonehenge, adding to the intrigue surrounding this mysterious, ancient monument.

Weathering over the ages means the carvings are no longer visible to the naked eye – and this “invisible art” only came to light during a laser-scan survey of the surfaces of the stones. Results of the survey, carried out on behalf of English Heritage, which runs the site, showed that most of the images had been engraved a few millimetres into the surface of the rock.

Data analysis revealed 71 new images of Bronze Age axe-heads, and one image of a Bronze Age dagger. Some images of axe heads had previously been reported in the 1950s, but the 72 new  discoveries make this the largest single collection of prehistoric rock carvings in southern Britain.

It’s thought that when Stonehenge was constructed in the third millennium BC, its main purpose was as a solar temple, marking the winter and summer solstices. It was probably used for ritual ceremonies and worship.

A large number of tombs dating from 1800-1500BC have been found in the area, underlining the importance of the site during this era. The carved axe-heads and daggers also date from this period, and may provide further clues to the purpose of the site.

Stonehenge is open to the public all year round apart from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/stonehenge/

International Day of Peace

On the International Day of Peace, Friday 21 September, hundreds of organisations and individuals worldwide are joining together in a mass meditation and prayers for peace.

BeThePeace features public events in over 380 cities, starting at 6:00 pm in local time zones, with the aim of generating “a profound wave of peace around the planet”.

Three virtual Global Attunements for Peace will be held via teleconference/audio webcast at 12am, 12 noon and again at 12 midnight EDT (4am,4pm,4am GMT Sept. 21-22)

BeThePeace welcomes people from every culture, every spiritual tradition, and every political perspective to come together in an experience of Global Oneness.

www.bethepeace.com

Crop Circle Art

 

 

The last of this summer's crop circle season. Check out Crop Circle Connector for some excellent aerial views.  

 

Paralymics open with a Big Bang

The London 2012 Paralympic Games began  with a big bang as science and spectacle combined in the opening ceremony.

Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world's leading scientists, was the narrator for the evening on the theme of "enlightenment".

There was a slight hitch in the proceedings when the torch procession to the Olympic park was delayed due to bad weather (in typical British fashion - in fact umbrellas featured prominently in the ceremony) but the lighting of the cauldron went ahead as planned.

Athletes from 164 teams are taking part in the events.

Olympic Finale

Tower Bridge and the Olympic rings were illuminated on the night of the closing ceremony of the games, which saw 10,500 athletes competing in 302 medal events across 26 sports.

The London 2012 games generated an atmosphere of enormous positive energy and goodwill as nations came together to celebrate the peak of performance in sport. The closing ceremony was themed around 50 years of British music, and there was a carnival-style taste of what is to come at the next Olympic games in Rio 2016.  

Blue Moon

August ends with a Blue Moon - the second full moon of the month.

Most years have 12 full moons that occur approximately once a month. In addition to these 12 full lunar cycles, each year contains about 11 extra days. The accumulation of these extra days means that an extra full moon is generated every two to three years.

The month begins with a full moon on 1 August and ends with the Blue Moon on 31 August.

Crop circles

This crop circle at Windmill Hill, not far from the ancient stone circle at Avebury, Wiltshire,  was first reported on 25 July. The lay-down was still fresh and the weather fine during the "field trip"  organised in conjunction with the Glastonbury Symposium. The formation, which has been variously described as resembling a sword, spear, wand or trident, displays the typical swirled pattern in a wheat crop, with a pathway of overlaid circles (see picture one) leading to a line of circles of decreasing size. Aerial views and further information can be found on the Crop Circle Connector website.