|
TRANSLATIONS
The first page
of the pu
part of the
glyph
dictionary:
|
A
few
preliminary
remarks
and
imaginations:
1.
The
rongorongo
system
of
writing
is
using
only
the
contours
of
the
images.
Here
we
have
not
only
an
outer
perimeter
but
also
two
inner
perimeters,
i.e.
two
open
holes.
One
of
the
holes
presumably
is
there
to
allow
entrance
('birth'),
while
the
other
is
there
for
the
exit
('death').
Between
the
'door'
leading
in
and
the
'door'
leading
out
lies
the
world
of
our
senses.
"Their
mothers
have
told
them
that
the
sky
is a
big
bowl
whose
edge
is
fitted
together
with
the
horizon
except
at
those
places
where
the
sun
goes
up
and
down.
Through
these
two
holes
ships
from
another
world
can
enter
into
our
world."
(Nordhoff
&
Hall)
The
old
Babylonians
had
the
idea
of a
sky
dome
with
two
holes
in
it,
one
at
the
eastern
horizon
and
one
at
the
western
horizon,
to
enable
the
sun
to
enter
and
leave.
Sun
did
not
spend
the
night
down
under
the
earth,
but
instead
went
above
the
sky
dome,
where
it
spread
its
light
during
the
night.
(Ref.
Jensen)
"The
heavens
varying
in
number
from
three
to
twelve
according
to
the
locality
were
imagined
as
formed
by
widely
spaced
concentric
hemispheres
of
solid
material
which
rested
upon
the
plane
of
the
earth.
In a
vertical
direction
upward
the
celestial
realms
would
accordingly
lie
one
above
the
other;
but
in
the
horizontal
direction
they
formed
circular
zones
on
the
earth's
surface.
Thus
a
group
of
islands
which
considered
itself
te
pito,
the
navel
of
the
universe,
was
conceived
of
as
situated
at
the
center
of a
series
of
concentric
spaces
of
great
but
indefinite
extent,
separated
from
one
another
by
the
walls
of
the
various
sky
domes
which
rested
on
the
earth."
(Makemson)
If
sun
can
enter
and
leave
through
holes,
the
other
heavenly
bodies
presumably
can
do
so
too. |
|
"The ten or twelve days when the Sun appeared to linger at the winter solstice were a period of deep concern to primitive man, who trembled lest the luminary hesitate too long or fail to return to give life and warmth to earth and mankind. Hence the reference to the 'long pit' [marua-roa - a term used by the Maori for both solstices (and for the seasons of the solstices)].
Rua or lua is the cavern on the horizon from which the Sun rises or the corresponding pit on the western horizon through which he descends to the Underworld, and the 'long pit' was the one in which he remained for several successive days rising at the same point and setting at the same point while apparently making up his mind to retrace the path toward the equinoxes.
In the short winter days when food was scarce and the earth unproductive and one looked forward with longing to the welcome warmth of spring it was impossible not to feel apprehension until the lengthening of the hours of daylight became perceptible, bringing assurance of the renewal of life." (Makemson) |
| "In 1865 Kamakau recorded the Instructions in Ancient Hawaiian Astronomy as Taught by Kaneakahowaha, Astronomer, Seer, and Counselor of the Court of King Kamehameha I from which the following extract was taken:
Take the lower part of a gourd or hula drum, rounded as a wheel (globe), on which several lines are to be marked and burned in, as described hereafter. These lines are called na alanui o na hoku hookele, the highways of the navigation stars, which stars are also called na hoku ai-aina, the stars which rule the land. Stars lying outside these three lines are called na hoku a ka lewa, foreign, strange, or outside stars.
The first line is drawn from Hoku-paa, the fixed or North Star, to the most southerly star of Newe, the Southern Cross. (This hour circle coincides with the meridian on an evening in June, when it would divide the visible sky into halves.) The portion (of the sky) to the right or east of this line (the observer is evidently assumed to be facing north) is called ke ala ula a Kane, the dawning or bright road of Kane, and that to the left or west is called ke alanui maawe ula a Kanaloa, the much-traveled highway of Kanaloa. (Kane and Kanaloa were important gods in the Polynesian pantheon, Kane being associated with light, Kanaloa with darkness.)
Then three lines are drawn east and west, one across the northern section indicates the northern limit of the Sun (corresponding with the Tropic of Cancer) about the 15th and 16th days of the month Kaulua (i.e., the 21st or 22nd of June) and is called ke alanui polohiwa a Kane, the black-shining road of Kane. The line across the southern section indicates the southern limit of the Sun about the 15th or 16th days of the month Hilinama (December 22) and is called ke alanui polohiwa a Kanaloa, the black-shining road of Kanaloa. The line exactly around the middle of the sphere is called ke alanui a ke ku'uku'u, the road of the spider, and also ke alanui i ka Piko a Wakea, the way to the navel of Wakea (the Sky-father).
Between these lines are the fixed stars of the various lands, na hokupaa a ka aina. (These are the stars which hang suspended in the zeniths of the Polynesian islands most of which lie within the tropics.) On the sides are the stars by which one navigates." (Makemson) |
To summarize:
| W
ke alanui maawe ula a Kanaloa (the much-travelled highway of Tagaroa) |
N
Hoku-paa (North Star) |
E
ke ala ula a Kane (the dawning bright road of Tane) |
stranger stars (na hoku a ka lewa) |
| ↕ (the 1st line) |
| S
Newe (Southern Cross) |
| The 1st line coincides with the meridian on an evening in June. |
The 2nd - 4th lines:
| navigation stars |
| ↔ |
ke alanui polohiwa a Kane |
the black-shining road of Tane |
Tropic of Cancer |
the fixed stars of the lands (na hokupaa a ka aina) |
| ↔ |
ke alanui a ke Ku'uku'u (ke alanui i ka Piko a Wakea) |
the great road of the Spider (the way to the navel of the Sky-father) |
Equator |
| ↔ |
ke alanui polohiwa a Kanaloa |
the black-shining road of Tagaroa |
Tropic of Capricorn |
| navigation stars |
|
Antares (Ana-mua)
is located at
about the same
'latitude' as
Easter Island
(-26º
respectively
27º
S) and it would
be interesting
to know if the
Polynesians
regarded Easter
Island as the
'entrance' to
the Pacific
Ocean.
... On Easter
Island (located
at 27°03' S) the
zenith star
could have been
regarded as
Ana-mua,
'Entrance
Pillar'
(Antares). The
star today has a
declination of
26°15' and 1000
years in the
future it will
be at 27°31',
i.e. around
2,600 A.D.
Antares will be
a perfect zenith
star for Easter
Island.
However, the
entrance in
question ought
to be in time,
not in space.
Earlier I
correlated in
space:
|
1 |
Ana-mua,
entrance
pillar |
Antares,
α
Scorpii |
δ
=
-26°
19' |
Rapa
Nui |
|
2 |
Ana-muri,
rear
pillar
(at
the
foot
of
which
was
the
place
for
tattooing) |
Aldebaran,
α
Tauri |
δ
=
16°
25' |
Hawaii |
|
3 |
Ana-roto,
middle
pillar |
Spica,
α
Virginis |
δ
=
-10°
54' |
Marquesas |
10 'pillars'
(ana)
clearly
ought to be
coordinated
in some way
with the
ancient 10
months of
the year and
I suspect
Anakena
could be the
Rapanui
name for the
Tahitian
Anamua.
With Antares
the year
begins:
|
Kena
A
sea
bird,
with
a
white
breast
and
black
wings,
considered
a
symbol
of
good
luck
and
noble
attitudes.
Vanaga.
Mgv.:
kena,
a
white
seabird.
Mq.:
kena,
a
large
bird.
Churchill. |
|
'Day
of
the
Winter
Solstice
- A
-
aidhircleóg,
lapwing;
alad,
piebald.
Why
is
the
Lapwing
at
the
head
of
the
vowels?
Not
hard
to
answer.
It
is a
reminder
that
the
secrets
of
the
Beth-Luis-Nion
[the
ABC
of
the
pre-latin
Ogham
alphabet]
must
be
hidden
by
deception
and
equivocation,
as
the
lapwing
hides
her
eggs.
And
Piebald
is
the
colour
of
this
mid-winter
season
when
wise
men
keep
to
their
chimney-corners,
which
are
black
with
soot
inside
and
outside
white
with
snow;
and
of
the
Goddess
of
Life-in-Death
and
Death-in-Life,
whose
prophetic
bird
is
the
piebald
magpie.'
White
breast
and
black
back
-
light
in
front
and
darkness
at
the
back
(mua)
-
characterizes
both
piebald
and
kena.
They
symbolize
the
beginning,
alfa.
piebald
...
of
two
colours
mingled,
esp.
white
and
black
...
f.
PIE1
+
BALD
(in
the
sense
'streaked
with
white'
...
pie1
...
MAGPIE
...
L.
pīca
magpie,
rel.
to
pīcus
green
woodpecker,
and
Skr.
pikás
Indian
cuckoo,
and
referred
by
some
to
IE.
*(s)pl-
be
pointed
...
magpie
...
common
European
bird,
Pica
caudata,
noted
for
its
noisy
chatter
and
pilfering
habits
...
f.
Mag,
pet-form
of
Margaret
+
PIE1
...
Earlier
(dial.)
maggot-pie
...
f.
Maggot
-
(O)F.
Margot,
pet-form
of
Marguerite
Margaret
... |
Yet, time is
space:
... As Ke
expressed
it: 'When
you see
Rimwimata
(Antares) in
the middle
between the
ridgepole
and the
first purlin
to the
westward,
you know the
Sun is on
his
bike-ni-kaitara,
islet-of-making-face-to-face
(equinox).'
The choice
of Antares
and
Aldebaran
for entrance
and exit
are, though,
reversed
compared to
what the
Babylonians
thought:
|
...
A
Scorpion-Man
plays
also
another
part
in
the
cosmology
of
the
Babylonians.
The
Scorpion-Man
and
his
wife
guard
the
gate
leading
to
the
Maśu
mountain(s),
and
watch
the
sun
at
rising
and
setting.
Their
upper
part
reaches
to
the
sky,
and
their
irtu
(breast?)
to
the
lower
regions
(Epic
of
Gistubar
60,9).
After
Gistubar
has
traversed
the
Maśu
Mountain,
he
reaches
the
sea.
This
sea
lies
to
the
east
or
south-east.
However
obscure
these
conceptions
may
be,
and
however
they
may
render
a
general
idea
impossible,
one
thing
is
clear,
that
the
Scorpion-Men
are
to
be
imagined
at
the
boundary
between
land
and
sea,
upper
and
lower
world,
and
in
such
a
way
that
the
upper
or
human
portion
belongs
to
the
upper
region,
and
the
lower,
the
Scorpion
body,
to
the
lower.
Hence
the
Scorpion-Man
represents
the
boundary
between
light
and
darkness,
between
the
firm
land
and
the
water
region
of
the
world.
Marduk,
the
god
of
light,
and
vanquisher
of
Tiamat,
i.e.
the
ocean,
has
for
a
symbol
the
Bull
=
Taurus,
into
which
he
entered
in
spring.
This
leads
almost
necessarily
to
the
supposition
that
both
the
Bull
and
the
Scorpion
were
located
in
the
heavens
at a
time
when
the
sun
had
its
vernal
equinox
in
Taurus
and
its
autumnal
equinox
in
Scorpio,
and
that
in
their
principal
parts
or
most
conspicuous
star
groups;
hence
probably
in
the
vicinity
of
Alderbaran
and
Antares,
or
at
an
epoch
when
the
principal
parts
of
Taurus
and
Scorpio
appeared
before
the
sun
at
the
equinoxes
...
|
|
...
The
Akkadians
called
it
[Antares]
Girtab,
the
Seizer,
or
Stinger,
and
the
Place
where
One
Bows
Down,
titles
indicative
of
the
creature's
dangerous
character;
although
some
early
translators
of
the
cuneiform
text
rendered
it
the
Double
Sword.
With
later
dwellers
on
the
Euphrates
it
was
the
symbol
of
darkness,
showing
the
decline
of
the
sun's
power
after
the
autumnal
equinox,
then
located
in
it.
Always
prominent
in
that
astronomy,
Jensen
thinks
that
it
was
formed
there
5000
B.C.,
and
pictured
much
as
it
now
is;
perhaps
also
in
the
semi-human
form
of
two
Scorpion-men,
the
early
circular
Altar,
or
Lamp,
sometimes
being
shown
grasped
in
the
Claws,
as
the
Scales
were
in
illustrations
of
the
15th
century
...
Perhaps
the
shape
of Y
originated
in
the
claws
of
Scorpio?
The
Lamp
(=
sun?)
was
grasped
in
these
claws.
The
ancient
Egyptians
connected
Antares
(and
also
α
Centauri)
with
Selket
(picture
from
Lockyer):
Here,
possibly,
the
egg
of
the
sun
is
seen
secured
between
the
'horns'
of
Selket.
Notice
also
that
the
sun-symbols
on
her
back
are
36,
whereof
we
can
see
3 *
6 =
18.
Those
are
certainly
her
eggs
(the
next
years
periods).
Checking
where
scorpions
carry
their
eggs
I
find
that
she
indeed
carries
her
spawn
of
her
back
(picture
from
Brehm
'Djurens
liv'):
But
this
one
(from
the
Philippines)
carries
34
youngsters
on
her
back.
Eggs
are
never
there
on
her
back,
the
eggs
are
hatched
at
once
after
birth.
Certainly
the
ancient
Egyptians
knew
that.
Is
it a
coincidence
that
there
are
9
straws
visible
at
the
base
of
her
tail?
Jensen
has
documented
how
Antares
(Serk-t)
at
around
3700
BC
was
heralding
sun-rise,
Isis.
|
If Antares is at
the entrance,
the opening in
question must
have moved with
the precession
of the stars.
The precession
causes a
cyclical
movement which
takes ca 26,000
years:
1700 AD + 3700
BC = 5400 and
5400 / 26000 =
20.77 and 0.2077
* 365.25 = 76
days.
21 September +
76 days = 6
December.
To reach 21
December we must
add 15 days. 15
/ 365.25 * 26000
= 1068 years. Ca
3700 BC - 1068 =
ca 4800 BC.
The opening of a
new year
logically should
move with
Antares (or at
least with
Scorpio) and
given a
beginning at
autumn equinox
around 5000 BC
('... Jensen
thinks that it
[Scorpio] was
formed there [in
Mesopotamia]
5000 B.C. ...')
the 'hole in the
sky' must have
arrived at 21
December (winter
solstice) around
1700 A.D.
The ancient year
which defined
summer and
winter halves,
connecting earth
with Taurus
(spring equinox)
and Scorpio
(autumn equinox),
must have been
abandoned in
favour of a new
calendar keeping
pace with the
precession.
Taurus and
Scorpio have
moved to the
solstices.
Instead of
Scorpio
indicating the
coming dark
season (the
'abyss of
water') and
Taurus the
beginning of the
summer 'year',
their roles must
be adjusted:
Scorpio now
means the death
of the old year
(not the death
of summer) and
Taurus the apex
of summer (not
the birth of
summer).
In the bird list
of Manuscript E
kena
is not located
at the
beginning:
|
1 |
manu
tara |
9 |
tavake |
|
2 |
pi
riuriu |
10 |
ruru |
|
3 |
kava
eoeo |
11 |
taiko |
|
4 |
te
verovero |
12 |
kumara |
|
5 |
ka
araara |
13 |
kiakia |
|
6 |
kukuru
toua |
14 |
tuvi |
|
7 |
makohe |
15 |
tuao |
|
8 |
kena |
16 |
tavi |
Has kena
moved too? Yes!
If kena
equals Antares
and the opening
of the year,
then she must
have moved. She
ought to be at
summer solstice
(south of the
equator), i.e.
at the middle of
either a
calendar year
beginning at
winter solstice
or - more
probable - at
the middle of a
summer 'year'
beginning at
spring equinox:
... The arrival
and the nesting
of these birds
at the beginning
of the southern
spring was the
high point of
the year. So
great was the
interest in the
bird manu
tara that
separate names
were given to
the various
stages of his
growth: pi(u)
riuriu,
kava eoeo,
te verovero,
and ka araara
(numbers 2
through 6
[misprint for
5]) are
onomatopoetic
names based on
the
characteristic
bird call of
each stage. At
one time these
names,
indicating the
stages of
development of
the sooty tern,
were popular
children's names
...
|
...
Kena,
the
name
for
the
booby,
is
also
an
eastern
Polynesian
name.
Line
18
of
the
creation
chant
lists
as
the
mythical
parents
of
kena
'Vie
Moko'
and
'Vie
Tea'
(PH:520).
The
'lizard
woman'
(vie
moko)
and
her
younger
sister
the
'booby
woman'
(vie
kena)
were
considered
the
originators
of
tattooing
(ME:
367-368).
The
'white
booby
woman'
(vie
kena
tea),
together
with
other
deities,
protected
the
eggs
of
sea
birds
(RM:260).
She
might
even
be
considered
to
be
the
female
counterpart
of
the
supreme
god
Makemake.
In
modern
Hangaroa,
vie
kena
tea
is a
term
of
endearment
for
a
beloved
wife
whose
well-rounded
body
and
light
skin
is
being
praised
...
Vie
Moko
and
Vie
Tea
ought
to
be
the
dark
respectively
the
white
(tea)
'year'.
A
vie
kena
tea
ought
to
have
a
well-rounded
body
(like
the
full
moon)
and
a
light
skin. |
South of the
equator Antares
(and Scorpio and
kena)
marks summer
solstice,
according to the
ancient model
created around
5,000 BC.
At this point of
the discussion I
discover a
remarkable fact:
I was wrong when
I considered the
kena to
be like the
magpie - black
on its back and
white in front -
because it is
rather the
opposite:
... This is the
largest booby,
at 81-91 cm
length, 152 cm
wingspan and
1500 g weight.
Adults are white
with pointed
black wings, a
pointed black
tail, and a dark
grey facemask.
The sexes are
similar, but the
male has a
yellow bill, and
the female's is
greenish yellow;
during the
breeding season
they have a
patch of bare,
bluish skin at
the base of the
bill. Juveniles
are brownish on
the head and
upperparts, with
a whitish rump
and neck collar.
The underparts
are white. Adult
plumage is
acquired over
two years ...
Here I could
have stopped.
But one last
fact bothers me:
The Chinese seem
to have adopted
Spica as a
calendrical
guide:
|
...
Spica
signifies,
and
marks,
the
Ear
of
Wheat
shown
in
the
Virgin's
left
hand
...
...
In
Chinese
astronomy
Spica
was
a
great
favorite
as
Kió,
the
Horn,
or
Spike,
anciently
Keok
or
Guik,
the
special
star
of
springtime;
and
with
ζ
formed
their
12th
sieu
under
that
title.
It
was
to
the
observations
of
this
star
and
of
Regulus
[α
Leo]
about
300
BC,
recorded
by
the
Alexandrian
Timochares,
that,
after
comparison
with
his
own
150
year
later,
Hipparchos
was
indebted
for
the
great
discovery
attributed
to
him
of
the
precession
of
the
equinoxes;
although
Babylonian
records,
and
the
temple
orientations
of
Egypt
and
Greece,
may
indicate
a
far
earlier
practical
knowledge
of
this
...
Spica
was
a
springtime
star
in
China.
Yet,
Scorpio
is
close
to
Virgo.
According
to
Klepešta
we
have:
|
Antares |
16 h 26 m |
|
Spica |
13 h 23 m |
The right ascension is counted from spring equinox. Ca 16 hours for Antares means 16 / 24 or ¾ of a year.
Spica is located earlier in the year: 13.383 / 24 * 365.25 = 204 days after spring equinox (north of the equator). The Chinese must have observed Spica at some other time than zenith. The precession needed for 204 days is quite too long.
|
|
The
declination
(δ =
-10°
54')
made
me
point
to
Marquesas
as
the
'land'
(kaiga)
of
Ana-roto
(Spica).
Its
declination
lies
between
those
of
Ana-mua
(Antares)
and
Ana-muri
(Aldebaran).
Is
that
the
reason
for
roto
(middle)?
With
zenith
at
summer
solstice
at
Antares
I
think
it
would
have
been
more
appropriate
to
name
Antares
as
the
'middle'
star.
But
China
is
the
middle
kingdom
and
if
they
for
some
reason
picked
out
Spica
as
the
beginning
of
summer,
then
in a
way
Spica
becomes
the
'middle'
star.
Observing
Spica
at
spring
equinox
from
China,
when
and
where
must
you
look?
In
the
evening
or
in
the
morning?
The
heliacal
rising
of
Taurus
once
announced
spring
equinox
(north
of
the
equator)
and
Virgo
must
then
have
been
observed
in
the
morning
during
autumn.
To
observe
Virgo
in
spring,
you
must
look
at
the
evening
sky:
...
In
the
Hawaiian,
Samoan,
Tongan,
Society,
Marquesan,
and
some
other
islands
the
new
year
began
in
late
November
or
early
December
with
the
first
new
Moon
after
the
first
appearance
of
the
Pleiades
in
the
eastern
sky
in
the
evening
twilight
... |
|