Important Events in Hebridean History
Neolithic Worship
Main Article
That's our temple up on the hill there, but I don't know much about it. I go to ceremonies at the entrance with the rest of our clan, when the bones of one of our people go inside to join the spirits of the earth, after they have been purified for a long time by the spirits of the air. And I go to the ceremony on midsummer's day, when the sun spirit ploughs his highest furrow through the sky. At sunrise, at that time only, it is said, he sends a ray of light straight down the passage way, filling the dark chamber within with his fire, and touching the spirits of our ancestors that dwell there. That must be most awesome to witness. After that, we know that the time of plenty will soon come, and the time of hunger is behind us, at least for another year. We have a feast, and give thanks.
The other clans who live around here also build great stone temples like ours, but ours is special. Theirs mostly face the other end of the year's circle, so I have heard, the time of midwinter, when they fear that the sun will die and not come back to them again. But every year, he has sent his sign to them into the womb of the earth, and another year of light and warmth and harvest has come around. I hope that will happen every year for a long time.
One day I would like to be a priest, and then I might understand the mysteries of the heavens and the earth.
Sin an teampall againn shuas an sin air a' chnoc, ach chan eil fhios agam air mòran mu dheidhinn. Bidh mi a' dol gu seirbheisean aig an doras còmhla ri na buill eile den chinneadh againn, nuair a bhios cnàmhan aon de na daoine againn a' dol a-steach airson a dhol còmhla ri spioradan na talmhainn, an dèidh a bhith air an glanadh airson ùine mhòr le spioradan an adhair. Agus bidh mi a' dol chun an deas-ghnàth aig Là Leth an t-Samhraidh, nuair a bhios spiorad na grèine a' treabhadh na sgrìoba as àirde aice tron adhar. Aig èirigh na grèine, aig an àm sin a-mhàin, tha e ri ràdh, bidh e a' cur gath-solais dìreach sìos an t-slighe-imeachd, a' lìonadh an t-seòmair dhorcha le a theine, agus a' beantainn ri spioradan ar sinnsirean a tha nan tàmh an sin. 'S e sealladh iongantach a bhios ann. às dèidh sin, tha fios againn gu bheil àm a' phailteis am fagus, agus àm an acrais seachad, co-dhiù airson bliadhna eile. Bidh fèist againn, agus bheir sinn buidheachas.
Bidh na cinnidhean eile a tha a' fuireach mun cuairt òirnn a' togail teampaill cloiche mhòra coltach ris an fhear seo, ach tha am fear againne sònraichte. Sa chumantas bidh an fheadhainn acasan a' coimhead ri ceann eile cearcall na bliadhna, a rèir aithris, àm Leth a' Gheamhraidh, nuair a bhios eagal orra gum faigh a' ghrian bàs agus nach till i thuca tuilleadh. Ach a h-uile bliadhna, tha e air a chomharra a chur thuca a-steach do bholg na talmhainn, agus tha bliadhna eile le solas agus blàths agus toradh air a thighinn mun cuairt. Tha mi an dòchas gun tachair sin a h-uile bliadhna airson ùine mhòr.
Bu toigh leam a bhith nam shagart latha air choireigin, agus an uair sin 's dòcha gun tuig mi rùintean-dìomhair nan speur agus na talmhainn.
Associated Locations
This event is associated with some locations in the Hebrides. For more details on these, see the list below, or go to the Interactive Explorer.
