286
The saw-tooth shape of the boundary is most evident in the vicinity of the
‘shadow’ of the southernmost towers. It is also especially evident in this area that
unexcavated features seem to avoid the area from which the Temple entrance was
hidden by the ridge containing the towers. Possible structures, on the other hand,
appear to be concentrated along the boundary and just outside it, especially in the
vicinity of the ‘shadows’ of Towers 13 and 12. Regardless of the astronomical possibilities, this in itself suggests that it was important for such structures either to be
within sight of the Temple entrance or to have the Temple entrance within view. The
correlation is much sharper in relation to the surveyed points than to the viewshed
boundary, suggesting that it was the view to, rather than from, the Temple entrance
that was important.
As viewed from these points on the plaza, the Temple entrance, appearing just
above and behind the towers, or in gaps between them, broadly coincided with the
position of sunset at the June solstice. This is the part of the plaza where the entrance
appears in, or above, the gap between Towers 9 and 8.
Finally, as noted by Ghezzi (2007), there is an intriguing correlation between the
area of the plaza from which the Temple platform is visible and the area from which
the geoglyphs to the SSW of the Fortified Temple are visible. The geoglyphs only
seem to be visible from parts of the plaza from which the entrance to the Temple
entrance is also visible. Furthermore, there is an additional ‘cut-off’ more or less
exactly beyond the part from which the June solstice sun aligns with the Temple
entrance. Whether this is significant or could cast light upon the purpose and possible meaning of the geoglyphs, it is impossible to say at this time.
4.3 Light and Shadow Hierophanies
The fact that the width of the bright stripes shrinks to zero more or less exactly at
the time of the June solstice, and that the bright stripes align in the gaps between the
pillars at the December solstice and equinoxes, considerably strengthens the idea
that the light and shadow effects were intentional, and indeed purposefully
orchestrated to span the entire year. The importance of the December solstice would
have been enhanced by the appearance, about a month before the actual date, of the
sets of three bright patches in each pillar shadow, widening to their maximum at the
solstice itself. These hierophanies (of sacred significance) could have offered
another type of calendrical indicator at Chankillo, accessible only to those permitted
to enter the Temple. Sadly, these spectacular effects are not visible today, both
because the temple space is no longer enclosed and because most of the pillars with
their slits have been destroyed.
I. Ghezzi
The saw-tooth shape of the boundary is most evident in the vicinity of the
‘shadow’ of the southernmost towers. It is also especially evident in this area that
unexcavated features seem to avoid the area from which the Temple entrance was
hidden by the ridge containing the towers. Possible structures, on the other hand,
appear to be concentrated along the boundary and just outside it, especially in the
vicinity of the ‘shadows’ of Towers 13 and 12. Regardless of the astronomical possibilities, this in itself suggests that it was important for such structures either to be
within sight of the Temple entrance or to have the Temple entrance within view. The
correlation is much sharper in relation to the surveyed points than to the viewshed
boundary, suggesting that it was the view to, rather than from, the Temple entrance
that was important.
As viewed from these points on the plaza, the Temple entrance, appearing just
above and behind the towers, or in gaps between them, broadly coincided with the
position of sunset at the June solstice. This is the part of the plaza where the entrance
appears in, or above, the gap between Towers 9 and 8.
Finally, as noted by Ghezzi (2007), there is an intriguing correlation between the
area of the plaza from which the Temple platform is visible and the area from which
the geoglyphs to the SSW of the Fortified Temple are visible. The geoglyphs only
seem to be visible from parts of the plaza from which the entrance to the Temple
entrance is also visible. Furthermore, there is an additional ‘cut-off’ more or less
exactly beyond the part from which the June solstice sun aligns with the Temple
entrance. Whether this is significant or could cast light upon the purpose and possible meaning of the geoglyphs, it is impossible to say at this time.
4.3 Light and Shadow Hierophanies
The fact that the width of the bright stripes shrinks to zero more or less exactly at
the time of the June solstice, and that the bright stripes align in the gaps between the
pillars at the December solstice and equinoxes, considerably strengthens the idea
that the light and shadow effects were intentional, and indeed purposefully
orchestrated to span the entire year. The importance of the December solstice would
have been enhanced by the appearance, about a month before the actual date, of the
sets of three bright patches in each pillar shadow, widening to their maximum at the
solstice itself. These hierophanies (of sacred significance) could have offered
another type of calendrical indicator at Chankillo, accessible only to those permitted
to enter the Temple. Sadly, these spectacular effects are not visible today, both
because the temple space is no longer enclosed and because most of the pillars with
their slits have been destroyed.
I. Ghezzi