The Rings of Stenness, Brodgar & Bookan - Celebrating the discovery of south Greenland (Orkney Islands, Scotland, c.3200 BC)
Dr. Reinoud M. de Jonge, Jay Stuart Wakefield
Netherlands, USA
Summary: The Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar are the largest of the many prehistoric ruins in the Orkneys, and among the premier megalithic remains in the world. The Orkney Islands were the jump-off point from coastal Europe to other islands being discovered in the north as the people looked for the home of the SunGod in the west. These two henge monuments, dated c.3200 BC, represent Greenland's South and Southwest Capes. The Ring of Stenness was originally built of 12 stones, also to commemorate the discovery of a new island in the north, Jan Mayen, 12° of latitude above the Orkneys. The larger Brodgar Ring was originally built of 61 stones to celebrate the area around the SW Cape of Greenland, at 61°N. Today, the reduced number of stones encode the later crossing (c.2500 BC) from West Greenland to Baffin Island.