Stonehenge Aotearoa
Stonehenge Aotearoa is a modern replica of historic Stonehenge in Wairarapa , New Zealand , about an hour's drive from Wellington . It is not an exact copy of the original structure, but is a functional copy that was built with modern materials and adapted to the circumstances of the location. Aotearoa is the name of New Zealand in the Māori language .
construction
The structure was built by the Phoenix Astronomical Society with NZ $ 56,500 government support in 18 months by volunteers in more than 11,000 hours and opened in February 2005. It represents a synthesis of the original Stonehenge with the traditions of the Māori . This can be seen most clearly in the placement of the ring stones: viewed from the center, they not only show the daily course and the position of the sun and moon , but also form a Polynesian star compass, by also pointing to the navigation stars that the early sailors used to determine their position on their way to and from Aotearoa.
The stone ring has a diameter of 30 meters. It consists of 24 3 meter high columns and is 4 meters high with the stone ring on top. In the center there is a 5 meter high obelisk , which symbolizes the southern celestial pole. The shadow of the obelisk falls on an analemma 10 meters long, aligned along the meridian , on which the date and the season can be read. Outside the ring circle there are six heel stones that mark the position of the sun rising and setting on solstices and equinoxes.
The columns consist of a wooden frame that is covered with a thin layer of cement stabilized by a wire frame. They are also wired and equipped with speakers so that they can be used at events such as B. weddings to ensure appropriate acoustics.
target
The idea behind Stonehenge Aotearoa is to capitalize on the fact that many people are fascinated by historical stone circles around the globe, whether they are interested in astronomy or not. The stone circle acts as a magnet to attract people - and when they are around, guided tours can teach them a lot about the movements of the sun and stars and the Māori culture. It also explains how the early Polynesians, with their special abilities, are said to have crossed the vastness of the Pacific using star navigation alone .
Web links
- Stonehenge Aotearoa
- BBCNews report on the opening
- Netzeitung: Learning through Stonehenge in New Zealand ( Memento from June 2, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
Coordinates: 41 ° 5 ′ 58.2 ″ S , 175 ° 34 ′ 41.5 ″ O