The Nasura Pillar Site, registered as GcJh3 and also known as Namoratunga II, is an archaeological site on the west side of Lake Turkana in Kenya dating to the Pastoral Neolithic. Namoratunga means "people of stone" in the Turkana language. The site was originally believed to have been created around 300 BC, but recent excavations have yielded an older radiocarbon sample dating to 2398 +/- 44 years BC.[1]
Nasura Pillar Site
Nasura Pillar Site in Turkana, Kenya
Nasura Pillar Site in Nasura kangatotha ward Turkana, Kenya
The site is easily visible on the Lodwar – Kalokol roadside, 30 metres (98 ft) from the road. The Kalokol Pillar Site contains 19 basalt pillars which are surrounded by a circular formation of stones. A number of other pillar sites surround Lake Turkana as well and date to the same time period; Lothagam North and Manemanya, for example, are communal cemeteries. These sites were likely built by the region's earliest herders.[2] Another burial site with stone cairns, Namoratunga I, [3][4] also known as Lokori, does not have stone pillars.[5][6][7]
Archaeologists Mark Lynch and L.H. Robbins described the Kalokol Pillar Site in 1978 and identified it as a possible archaeoastronomical site.[8] Lynch believed the basalt pillars tie the constellations or stars to the 12-month 354-day lunar calendar of Cushitic speakers of southern Ethiopia. The pillars were said to align with seven star systems: Triangulum, Pleiades, Bellatrix, Aldebaran, Central Orion, Saiph, and Sirius. Other archaeologists have reanalyzed the archaeoastronomical evidence,[9] and an older radiocarbon date from the Kalokol Pillar Site now calls into question these interpretations.[1]
Further reading
Doyle, L.R. (1986). "The Borana Calendar Reinterpreted". Current Anthropology. 27 (3): 286–287. doi:10.1086/203439. S2CID 144426218.
Doyle, L.R.; Frank, E.W. (1997). H. Selin (ed.). "Astronomy of Africa". Encyclopedia of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Kluwer, Netherlands: 96–99.
^ abHildebrand, Elisabeth A.; Shea, John J.; Grillo, Katherine M. (2011). "Four middle Holocene pillar sites in West Turkana, Kenya". Journal of Field Archaeology. 36 (3): 181–200. doi:10.1179/009346911X12991472411088. S2CID 54739651.
^Hildebrand, Elisabeth; et al. (2018). "A monumental cemetery built by eastern Africa's first herders near Lake Turkana, Kenya". PNAS. 115 (36): 8942–8947. doi:10.1073/pnas.1721975115. PMC6130363. PMID 30127016.
^Kubiak, M. (1982). "Eclipse at Namoratunga". The Observatory. 102: 211. Bibcode:1982Obs...102..210K.
^Helaine, Seline (1997). Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Springer. p. 55. ISBN978-0-7923-4066-9.
^Krupp, Edwin C. (2003). Echoes of the Ancient Skies: The Astronomy of Lost Civilizations. Dover. pp. 170–172. ISBN978-0-486-42882-6.
^Dvorsky, George (20 August 2018). "Ancient Cemetery Packed With Hundreds of Bodies Discovered in Kenya".
^Robbins, L. H.; Lynch, B. M. (19 May 1978). "Namoratunga: The First Archeoastronomical Evidence in Sub-Saharan Africa". Science. 200 (4343): 766–768. Bibcode:1978Sci...200..766L. doi:10.1126/science.200.4343.766. ISSN 1095-9203. PMID 17743241. S2CID 31531630.
^Doyle, Laurance R.; Wilcox, Thomas J. (1986). "Statistical Analysis of Namoratunga: An Archaeoastronomical Site in Sub-Saharan Africa?". Azania. 21 (1): 125–129. doi:10.1080/00672708609511373.
July 10, 2023
kalokol, pillar, site, nasura, pillar, site, registered, gcjh3, also, known, namoratunga, archaeological, site, west, side, lake, turkana, kenya, dating, pastoral, neolithic, namoratunga, means, people, stone, turkana, language, site, originally, believed, hav. The Nasura Pillar Site registered as GcJh3 and also known as Namoratunga II is an archaeological site on the west side of Lake Turkana in Kenya dating to the Pastoral Neolithic Namoratunga means people of stone in the Turkana language The site was originally believed to have been created around 300 BC but recent excavations have yielded an older radiocarbon sample dating to 2398 44 years BC 1 Nasura Pillar SiteNasura Pillar Site in Turkana KenyaNasura Pillar Site in Nasura kangatotha ward Turkana KenyaLocationLake Turkana KenyaRegionkangatotha wardCoordinates3 25 22 N 35 48 10 E 3 422778 N 35 802778 E 3 422778 35 802778 Contents 1 Background 2 Further reading 3 See also 4 ReferencesBackground EditThe site is easily visible on the Lodwar Kalokol roadside 30 metres 98 ft from the road The Kalokol Pillar Site contains 19 basalt pillars which are surrounded by a circular formation of stones A number of other pillar sites surround Lake Turkana as well and date to the same time period Lothagam North and Manemanya for example are communal cemeteries These sites were likely built by the region s earliest herders 2 Another burial site with stone cairns Namoratunga I 3 4 also known as Lokori does not have stone pillars 5 6 7 Archaeologists Mark Lynch and L H Robbins described the Kalokol Pillar Site in 1978 and identified it as a possible archaeoastronomical site 8 Lynch believed the basalt pillars tie the constellations or stars to the 12 month 354 day lunar calendar of Cushitic speakers of southern Ethiopia The pillars were said to align with seven star systems Triangulum Pleiades Bellatrix Aldebaran Central Orion Saiph and Sirius Other archaeologists have reanalyzed the archaeoastronomical evidence 9 and an older radiocarbon date from the Kalokol Pillar Site now calls into question these interpretations 1 Further reading EditDoyle L R 1986 The Borana Calendar Reinterpreted Current Anthropology 27 3 286 287 doi 10 1086 203439 S2CID 144426218 Doyle L R Frank E W 1997 H Selin ed Astronomy of Africa Encyclopedia of the History of Science Technology and Medicine in Non Western Cultures Kluwer Netherlands 96 99 See also EditBorana calendarReferences Edit a b Hildebrand Elisabeth A Shea John J Grillo Katherine M 2011 Four middle Holocene pillar sites in West Turkana Kenya Journal of Field Archaeology 36 3 181 200 doi 10 1179 009346911X12991472411088 S2CID 54739651 Hildebrand Elisabeth et al 2018 A monumental cemetery built by eastern Africa s first herders near Lake Turkana Kenya PNAS 115 36 8942 8947 doi 10 1073 pnas 1721975115 PMC 6130363 PMID 30127016 2 23 0 04 N 36 8 2 52 E 2 3833444 N 36 1340333 E 2 3833444 36 1340333 Kubiak M 1982 Eclipse at Namoratunga The Observatory 102 211 Bibcode 1982Obs 102 210K Helaine Seline 1997 Encyclopaedia of the History of Science Technology and Medicine in Non Western Cultures Springer p 55 ISBN 978 0 7923 4066 9 Krupp Edwin C 2003 Echoes of the Ancient Skies The Astronomy of Lost Civilizations Dover pp 170 172 ISBN 978 0 486 42882 6 Dvorsky George 20 August 2018 Ancient Cemetery Packed With Hundreds of Bodies Discovered in Kenya Robbins L H Lynch B M 19 May 1978 Namoratunga The First Archeoastronomical Evidence in Sub Saharan Africa Science 200 4343 766 768 Bibcode 1978Sci 200 766L doi 10 1126 science 200 4343 766 ISSN 1095 9203 PMID 17743241 S2CID 31531630 Doyle Laurance R Wilcox Thomas J 1986 Statistical Analysis of Namoratunga An Archaeoastronomical Site in Sub Saharan Africa Azania 21 1 125 129 doi 10 1080 00672708609511373 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kalokol Pillar Site amp oldid 1138277239, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
