The Celtic Cross Was A Navigation Instrument

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The Celtic Cross is a representation of

. . . an ancient . . . scientific instrument . . . used by . . . people all over the world to measure time and distance . . .

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The idea is beginning to gain ground.

Author and navigator Crichton Miller has demonstrated that the shape could have been used as a navigational device and architectural aid by ancient explorers and builders.

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I like historical theories that don't rely on ignorant superstition.

a reply to: Kester

appologies - but it just seems like this person has beaten an astrolable - untill it " resembles " a celt cross

he shows no evidence of historical usage

and no evidence of the " orifional " is found in any stonework

nice try - but devoid of any actual evidence

a reply to: Kester

Cool post!

I've also read that it was used in construction to establish right angles, level and plumb. The cornerstone would be the fixed point from which all further measurements would be made.

That's all I've got. But I think it's pretty cool how ingenious folks have been throughout history!

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: Kester

appologies - but it just seems like this person has beaten an astrolable - untill it " resembles " a celt cross

he shows no evidence of historical usage

and no evidence of the " orifional " is found in any stonework

nice try - but devoid of any actual evidence

Yeah, who the hell does this guy think he is concocting a hypothesis like this? All the ancients ever thought about was religion and war. Scientific tool, pffft.

I thought the Celtic Cross as a navigational instrument was common knowledge. I studied the early means of navigation several years ago and indeed it is a forerunner of the astrolabe. I am glad to see the knowledge spread.

If you don't believe this was used for navigation then why would you believe the astrolabe was used for navigation? The Celtic Cross was almost as functional as the astrolabe. I guess those of you that doubt the Celtic Cross don’t know what a Sunstone is. I have a Sunstone and it does work. I also have a sundial pocket watch, an astrolabe and other instruments.

The reason this had become a religious item is that it was so important to a group of travelers that it was among the most protected items they had. Without it, they could be as lost as some modern people without smartphone navigation directions. It also told them when to plant crops. Very hi tech for its day.

Just because you don’t know of some lost knowledge doesn’t mean it did not exist.

Honest question I know i could look it up but I like you guys... When you read this post did you see (sell-tix) or (kel-tix)?

They talked about this years ago at one of the seminars at our archeology conference. There were references to it in some writings from the past, but not enough to really influence consensus of the time in archeology.

a reply to: beyondknowledge

I thought the Celtic Cross as a navigational instrument was common knowledge. I studied the early means of navigation several years ago and indeed it is a forerunner of the astrolabe. I am glad to see the knowledge spread.

Do you meant the other way around?

The astolabe predates the Celtic cross by no less than 1000 years, and in its earliest form predates the birth of Christ by 250 years.

a reply to: CoramDeo

I checked and the astrolabe is said to have been invented somewhere between 220 and 150 BC. The Celtic Cross was possibly in use in the Neolithic period which ended around 1700 BC. While it probably was not called a Celtic Cross, it is most likely over 1000 years older than the astrolabe.

Your understanding of the age of the Celtic Cross is probably from its use as a religious symbol and not of its use as a navigation instrument.

a reply to: beyondknowledge

I got ya.

I saw it's earliest use as a religious symbol at 900-1100 ce.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

a reply to: Kester

I like this one...

a reply to: Boadicea

Gravity is your best plumb.

The big problem with using a set to do measurements is how do you know the tool is still accurate or ever was in the first place?

For right angles the Pythagorean theorem is the way, the Egyptians used a rope with twelve knots in it equally spaced. Basically the rope is extended out 3 knots one way and the four knots in another way at roughly 90° then the last of the rope should be able to finish the triangle with the length of 5 knots. If it doesn't you don't have a right angle.

These days you can use a tape measure...

a reply to: beyondknowledge

A sunstone?

As in a large stone with a hole in it to measure the angle of the sun? I'm in no way an expert at this stuff but that being said it's fairly simple and I find it ludicrous that people look at our ancestry as if they couldn't be equally as observant as we are today.

That's the thing about us humans, we see patterns in everything and navigation is a testament to our mathematical perception of the world around us. The best thing is you don't need to understand maths to tap into our pattern seeing abilities, it's pretty much hardwired into our brains.

a reply to: RAY1990

A Sunstone is an Iceland spar calcite crystal that is optically clear. It is used to find the location of the sun in an overcast sky and during twilight when the sun is a little below the horizon. It works with the polarization of the atmosphere and the crystal. It was very important in navigating in the northern latitudes where the sun was below the horizon much of the day depending on the time of year.

a reply to: Kester

Aye probably gave directions to Parkhead.