11. We are far from done with this subject matter. First we must consider the two different readings of the end of line b3 and the beginning of line b4. My first reading was based on moving ahead, taking a shortcut, from the heliacal rising of Antares to its culmination at midnight:
My second reading went in the opposite direction, following our own calendar:
If reversed hau tea in Gb4-1 is where Antares is culminating at midnight, then it ought to be so also in the latter interpretation where the location is Christmas Day (not April 11). The first interpretation has much to speak for it, for instance because day 100 is at April 10 when on Easter Island the dark season is on its way. The second interpretation is also about a dark season, but north of the equator. Although it could simply be a distortion caused by the way the dates were derived, viz. mechanically counted from March 21 backwards. 408 (Gb6-25) - 322 (Gb4-1) = 86 = 21 (March) + 28 (February) + 31 (January) + 6 (December). We don't know where those extra 472 - 365 = 107 glyphs are (which also, possibly, could invalidate my first interpretation). Hoea pau in Gb3-30 has no indication of light in front, it is closed in front (cfr in Ana-roto). It should mean the opposite of Christmas Eve (where a birth is taking place). Likewise is the reversed hau tea in Gb4-1 a clear sign of 'no light in front'. Though maybe we could here imagine a message: 'Christmas is now celebrated north of the equator, thus darkness will soon come to Easter Island'. We have, however, by such an indirect reading not eliminated the problem with two different calendar dates at Gb3-30. April 10 is day 100 and December 24 is day 358:
There are 7 + 100 days from December 24 to April 10. Maybe it means Sun is reborn 3 days after winter solstice (north of the equator) while Moon has her return with the midnight culmination of Antares in April. We have so far not detected anything definite as to dates in the text. Perhaps these 107 days in some way are reflected in the difference between 472 and 365:
Probably the creator of the G text has deliberatey put hoea in Ga2-26 in a balanced opposition to hoea pau in Gb3-30
An immense amount of reflections could be generated from comparing these glyphs, their positions, and their possible meanings. Perhaps it was the intention of the creator of the structure to make people perceive in depth - using the different perspectives from eyes positioned apart from each other. Given the heliacal rising of Antares in Ga7-16 it seems natural to extrapolate backwards to Aldebaran in Ga1-4 and then proclaim the positions of the intermediate glyphs to correspond to the heliacal risings of stars with intermediate right ascension values (and from there to deduce the dates according to our calendar). However, this procedure is not certain, because Ana-mua was said to be in front. 471 - 185 + 4 = 290 (a result which cannot be reached if we count Gb8-30 twice). Judging from the glyphs it seems rather certain there is an arrival of light around the end of line a2 and the beginning of line a3 on one hand and a departure of light around the end of line b3 and the beginning of line b4 on the other. Reading side a from the perspective north of the equator Rei in Ga2-27 could therefore be at May 2 (although it would be more beautiful to count Gb8-30 only once - alternatively to count from equinox at Gb6-26 - in order to have May - the 5th month - begin where the henua calendar is beginning). At present the midnight culmination of Antares occurs in April 11 (but maybe it was in April 10 when the G text was carved on the tablet). If side b carries the back side (in contrast to the front side on side a), then it would be natural to put midnight culminations on side b. The spring months could therefore appear also on side b, but with another meaning. Perhaps there are two date readings on side b in contrast to side a. Moon has 'two wings' but Sun only one. |
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