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Sun-Earth Day Presents: Ancient Observatories, Timeless Knowledge

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Hovenweep National Monument

Hovenweep National Monument

A view of the Sun dagger at Hovenweep National Monument. Two concentric circle petroglphs are illuminated as the sun rises on the Summer solstice. Within in a matter of minutes two separate shafts of light, the first appearing from the left and the second from the right, make contact in the center forming one large band of light. Not unlike possible sun watching stations in Chaco Canyon, this example indicates that ancestral Puebloans may have taken advantage of natural solar markers. Carving designs to mark the seasons.

Photo Credit: Troy Cline

Hovenweep National Monument Website

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