Rensselaer County's Ancient Solar Marker | October 2024 Update

Rensselaer County's Ancient Solar Marker
By John Bulmer, John Bulmer Photography

Read the original story here.

Did you know that hidden in the hills of Rensselaer County lies an ancient stone chair with a fascinating history?

One of the advantages of social media is its ability to unearth information that has either faded from public consciousness or never found its way onto the internet in a substantial manner. Concealed in the hills of Rensselaer County is a large granite chair, possibly serving as a calendar observatory. This site is discreetly tucked away in a natural bowl, making it easily overlooked by hikers or hunters. Its design thoughtfully integrates the natural topography, utilizing hills and valleys to enhance visibility and create a secluded space for observation. These structures exemplify the ingenuity of ancient civilizations in comprehending and harnessing celestial patterns for timekeeping, calendar calculations, and potentially religious or cultural practices. Remarkably, the chair is said to be quite comfortable.

While the specific creators of the stone chair and its exact purpose remain unknown, its proximity to villages and settlements suggests a practical intent. Stone chairs used for observatories in ancient times were typically crafted from durable materials like granite and strategically positioned for celestial observation. These chairs often featured alignments or markings aiding in tracking astronomical events such as solstices, equinoxes, or specific star positions.

In New England, there are many similar ancient markers. Various cultures, including indigenous peoples of the region, created solar and lunar markers to measure time and mark seasonal changes. These structures ranged from stone circles to standing stones or even cairns, designed to align with the sun during the solstices and equinoxes. These markers were crucial to agricultural societies, which relied on celestial events to determine the best times for planting and harvesting. Sites such as America's Stonehenge in New Hampshire and the Calendar II chamber in Vermont stand as reminders of how widespread this practice was throughout the region.

The site consists of one separate throne attached to a bench that could seat 4 to 5 people.

The presence of solar markers in New England suggests that ancient cultures in this area had a sophisticated understanding of astronomy and the movement of celestial bodies. Some of these structures, like the stone chair in Rensselaer County, may have been used to monitor the position of the sun on key dates of the year, such as the solstice or equinox. These alignments served not only as practical tools but may have had religious or cultural significance, marking important rituals or seasonal transitions.

Today, I had the privilege of hiking to the ancient solar marker, guided by long-time residents, now friends, who had reached out to me after reading my first story on social media. The site contains not just a throne-like seat but also a long bench where others may have sat to observe the sky. The view from the granite bench spans 315º northeast, sweeping across the hills. I was told that, before the trees grew tall, the view extended through a dip in the landscape all the way to the horizon. Over time, the forest has reclaimed much of the surrounding land, hiding ancient glyphs beneath moss and foliage. The glyphs, which may have held symbolic or practical significance, are now lost to the seasonal rhythms of nature.

Sitting on the bench, I couldn’t help but reflect on its stunning simplicity. Without knowing exactly how long it has been here, the stone likely looks just as it did when its builders gathered around the nearby fire ring, gazing out over what may have been settlements below. In the photos within this series, I’ve included a diagram with silhouettes to show the scale and configuration of the site. These silhouettes represent long-time residents, now friends, who accompanied me. By including them, I hope to provide a sense of perspective and a deeper understanding of the remarkable craftsmanship involved in this ancient structure.

There is something profoundly humbling in the knowledge that hidden within our forests lie such artifacts, a testament to the ingenuity of indigenous peoples who mapped the stars and tracked time using the landscape around them. However, out of respect for the site’s history, and the fact that it is located on private land, I cannot disclose its location. To protect the sanctity of the site, I’ve removed all location metadata from the images, ensuring that its exact whereabouts remain undisclosed. These remnants of the past deserve our reverence and protection, as they represent a delicate connection between ancient and modern lives. They remind us that history is not always buried far beneath the ground—it often lives quietly within the forests, waiting for those with the curiosity and care to seek it out.

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