Dawn is approaching by 3:30 am and we move our attention down to the last large bull
of the Lascaux frieze. This is perhaps the strangest of the bulls, and is known
by the name "The Unicorn" referring to its disproportionately large straight
horns and distended belly. When one knows the key however, it all becomes
obvious. The scoop of the bull's belly becomes a beautiful match for the tail
of Scorpio, its head replacing the scorpion's 'claws'. Even more remarkable
is the large patch of bright red on the chest of the bull which is a direct
match for the star Antares, its Arabic name translating as "rival of Mars" referring
to it striking red color. And what about those ridiculous horns?
We can now see that the horns must extend out so far in order to connect with
the two bright stars of Libra, completing this Scorpio/Libra union. As we step out of the cave and into the brightening sky of dawn, the time is now 4:45 am To the south, only two stars are still visible before being consumed by the sunrise these are Antares and Arcturus made prominent in the cave by the use of the red pigment, and forming a fitting finale to our solstice star show. To conclude, the Cro-Magnon Hunters managed to create not only a breathtaking piece of art, but also a lasting visual mnemonic that could be used to mark the Solstice to within 4 days in 365 (an accuracy of 1.09%). It would be another 12,000 mid-summers before Stonehenge would be erected! |
