Stonehenge solstice draws 19,000: Druids, New Agers greet longest day

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN/AP: Stonehenge solstice draws 19,000
Druids and New Age revelers greet longest day
Wednesday, June 21, 2006


Crowds gather at the ancient stones.

STONEHENGE, England (AP) -- Thousands of dancing and drumming spectators cheered the summer solstice at Stonehenge as an orange sliver of sun rose over the Heel Stone on Wednesday morning.

Cloudy skies, dense fog and spurts of rain did not seem to dampen the energy of smiling revelers who bobbed and swayed to cheerful beats with arms outstretched and shouts of "Feel the solstice!"

About 19,000 New Agers, present-day druids and partygoers gathered inside and around the ancient circle of towering stones to greet the longest day in the northern hemisphere as the sun struggled to peek out against a smoky gray sky at 4:58 a.m (0358GMT)....

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Stonehenge, on the Salisbury Plain 80 miles (130 kilometers) southwest of London, was built between 3000 B.C. and 1600 B.C. The lichen-covered rocks are a major British tourist attraction and have spiritual significance for thousands of druids and New Age followers....

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Some experts say the monument's builders aligned the stones with the sun as part of their sun-worshipping culture, although how and why the monument was built remains unknown. Others believe the monument was part of an astronomical calendar.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/06/21/stonehenge.druids.ap/index.html

[LiberalEsto]

1. Happy Solstice to all!

Many blessings.....
LibE

[sabbat hunter]

4. and to you

the blessings of the gods and goddesses.

[ewagner]

2. In honor

I am playing Lorena McKennit's The Mummer's Dance ....what a nice celebration....

[eppur_se_muova]

3. So THAT'S where everyone is! nt