The Tara Brooch was found in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland in August of 1850. Historians usually date this artifact to around 700 AD, however there is evidence that its origin is much older. Orthodox archeology identifies is as a garment clasp. However Peter Dawkins' recent study of its underlying design geometry (See Pi in the Sky by Michael Poynder) has revealed that it is an orienting tool, referencing multiple celestial events as viewed from the Earth. The makers of the brooch employed a simplified, concise geometry in order to orient buildings to significant celestial events. The brooch reveals a sophisticated pre-Christian, neolithic culture in the British Isles, that enabled the integration of many complex celestial and global references into their annual event calendars and sacred structures.
At every stage of the design of these masonic panels, I have intuitively felt that the marriage of an historic geometry and ancient tools is appropriate. What better than to link the ancient masons' hand tools with the equally ancient celestial "survey" instrument that assisted in positioning the building!
The Tara Brooch is a geometric calculator utilizing a simplified concise geometry. It references equinox sunset and sunrise in the northern British Isles, the celestial equator, the pole star, a sun-centered solar system, the radius of the moon in relation to the radius of the earth, the pyramid angle of 51.42 deg., the division of the circle into one-sevenths and much more.
Ancient Geometry underlying the Tara Brooch
[d'apres Peter Dawkins in Pi in the Sky by M. Poynder]
[d'apres Peter Dawkins in Pi in the Sky by M. Poynder]
Masons' Trowel integrated with Ancient Geometry
Masons' Square and Compass, Hammer and Plumb intigrated with Ancient Geometry
Playing with the geometric armature of the Tara Brooch provides an unexpected richness.
Four-fold circular array of Tara Brooch Geometry
Six-fold circular array of Tara Brooch Geometry
Seven-fold extension of Tara Brooch Geometry
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