Publisher's Synopsis
In this seminal archaeoastronomy text, symbologist Donald J. McMahon unveils astounding revelations about the nature of the invaders of Ireland and the scope of seafaring trade in the ancient world.
Combining his expertise in symbology with a passion for mathematics and geometry, a fascination with sailing and celestial navigation, and a lifetime of experience working in metal processing and raw material management, McMahon is uniquely qualified to recognize visual and cultural patterns that have remained undiscovered for five thousand years.
In painstaking detail, the book centers on the curbstones and mounds of Ireland, examining the questions of what, where, who, why, and how ancient seafarers came and went from the Emerald Isle. It goes further, pursuing Ireland's relationship to the development of the great dynasties of the Nile Valley and their need for metals, particularly gold and copper.
McMahon pays tribute to the achievements of ancient peoples who looked to the celestial bodies to chart their world. Replete with figures and diagrams, the book illustrates how the Egyptian ankh, pillar, and staff were actually navigational instruments, how megalithic constructions served as maps, and how the enigmatic Irish symbols contained tightly held trade secrets.
This groundbreaking work opens new doors in the worlds of antiquarianism, archaeology, and cultural anthropology.
