One of the (north) theorists explains the ’south-facing pillars as a nonstarter since according to him ‘south facings’ merely provide entries to the northern walls’ sacred altars and stars that ‘face’ and confront the entrant as the north polar star Deneb does in Cygnus. Deneb was the leading star in a winged constellation that had become important to both early and later tumulii and temple builders: the design of New Grange’s long cruciformed passage is said to stem from Gobekli Tepe’s side benched alcoves (although this would have been modeled from a later oval Enclosure rather than that of an earlier circle). The chambers are said to replicate the wings of the swan (vulture in the Middle East) in its cruciform configuration that is incidentally also the form of the later
. Irish cross. Left: New Grange chambered passage. Center and Right: mother with baby buried in swan’s wing.
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