Scottish yachtsman patents Celtic cross as a rediscovered navigational tool
Posted on Monday, October 11, 2010 at 06:11 PM
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The Celtic cross is not a gory object like the common European or Latin American crucifix depicting the remains of Roman execution. More often the Celtic cross is depicted in bare geometry that is sometimes ornamented with mathematically precise knotwork. Joseph Campbell thought the peculiar cross with circle represented chakra ascension, and quoted WBYeats' line "ancient Ireland knew it all," in describing his theory of Gaelic Ireland's Tibetan-like achievements at spiritual culture.
A Scottish researcher and yachtsman, however, has patented the Celtic cross as a tool--re-discovered---he claims, and which he thinks useful in navigation, astronomy, surveying, cartography and time keeping. Surprisingly, the UK patent office concurs on the uniqueness of Crichton E M Miller's discovery; and he received his first of two patents in November 2000. 
According to his application, the Celtic cross is something like a combination of the quadrant and astrolabe. He has used his instrument to tell the time and locate latitude and longitude. With it one can measure the angle of stars, calculate solstice and equinox, and locate the earth's North and South poles.
In 1978, the British sailor Tim Severin proved it possible that Saint Brendan discovered America by recreating a sea journey across the Atlantic in only a leather currach like the one Bréanainn (as he would have spelt it) used in the 6th century, 60 generations ago and 900 years before Columbus.The clever Kerryman had all the tools he needed to confront the promised lands beyond the void.
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BrendanPKeane | Oct 13, 2010, 03:09 PM EDT
irishdan: I've always wondered the meaning of the fir ceangailte roundels, fascinating, thank you: http://www.timedance.co.uk/Timedance%20-%20The%20Dance%20of%20the%20Fer%20Cengail.htm
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irishdan | Oct 13, 2010, 01:15 PM EDT
Shared weekend seminar with the man where he went public on his theory and I have his book, I gladly recommend it........It gives a whole new meaning to the reverence Irish High Crosses were held in...... While on the subject of High Crosses google Alan Nowell on ritual dance and read what he has to say regarding some of the carvings and also his comments on drawings on some of the Old Irish Manuscripts....... Practices appropriated from the Celtic Church and now identified with Free Masons had their first recording in Celtic stone and vellum....... Ireland has the oldest continual civilization in Europe, only Greece and Rome considered the very cradles of our Continent's civilization has older written records.....Thanks to the internet and availability of material there is a growing awareness of Ireland's contribution to Europe and world civilization........See also ' How The Irish Saved Civilization' by Thomas Cahill for a poplar paperback account of Irelands contribution to European and World culture.......enjoy!
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BrendanPKeane | Oct 12, 2010, 12:04 PM EDT
yeah there's no 'e' in gory, thanks Georg.
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GeorgeDillon | Oct 12, 2010, 02:46 AM EDT
"gorey"??? --Keane, don't you have a spellcheck? The one in your head sure doesn't work!
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