 |
 |
|
|
Looking east out of the
terminal chamber towards the entrance.
Twice a year on the mornings around the equinoxes the rising sun shines the full
length of the passage
and chamber to illuminate the interior of the terminal cell. This solar
alignment works as well today as
it did when the passage grave was first built, over five and a half thousand
years ago.
Because the tunnel that was built in the1920's to allow access to the tomb was
offset, sunlight could not
enter the tomb, it is only since the restoration of the facade and entrance in
1996 that this
millennia-old solar calendar can be seen functioning as it was intended.
This is the only location in the monument where all four of the betyle stones
would have been visible.