The Big Horn Medicine Wheel

The following article was first printed in the Book Nephite North in 2013

High in the mountains of Northern Wyoming situated at one of the highest points of the mountain is an odd arrangement of stone of which one can’t help but think of Stonehenge while looking at it.

Fig. 1

When this was first brought to my attention by Allan Lowe, I had debated on whether or not to evaluate the mystery of it, although it showed promise as to being of BC origins. I had no idea as to how much promise it held.

First let me say that I do not believe that it is a “Medicine Wheel” as perceived in the usual modern day traditional ideas and uses of the many that have hypothesized and supposedly used it for their own purposes, even over the last few hundred years. It is said to have been constructed by plains Indians around 300-800 years ago, did they radio carbon date the rock? How did they arrive at this date range? Why such a broad spectrum? Who was there to see them build it? Was it documented by some unknown source in some unknown place? How many have laid claim to its construction? Of them, if they had built it, how many could explain why it was built and what its purpose was? Have they lost this knowledge? If so, how do they know that it was their ancestors who built it?

The Big Horn Wheel was first brought to my attention by a friend who sent it to me for BC analysis as he knew the subject of my research. Upon first looking at Jack Eddy’s diagram and his theory which is the most accepted, I could see it most likely had BC origins.

The article that I read had some comments that just needed questioning, and the reader needs to know the facts pertaining to this from another perspective. For the reader’s convenience, I will include a small portion of the article.

Astronomical Alignments:

In 1974, an archaeoastronomer named Jack Eddy visited this Medicine Wheel and studied its alignments, that is, its arrangements of rocks, cairns, and spokes. He found the arrangements point to the rising and setting places of the Sun at summer solstice, as well as the rising places of Aldebaran in Taurus, Rigel in Orion, and Sirius in Canis Major -- all bright, important stars associated with the Solstice. Later another astronomer, Jack Robinson, found a cairn pair that marked the bright star Fomalhaut's rising point with the Sun 28 days before solstice.

Fig. 2

Sighting from cairn E through the center hub (which may have supported a pole) marks the summer solstice sunrise. Sighting from C through the center marked the equivalent solstice sunset. Standing at cairn F, one could sight the once-yearly dawn, or heliacal, risings of the key stars Aldebaran, Rigel, and Sirius, which play symbolic roles in an ancient Cheyenne Massaum ceremony and are also important stars in the sacred Lakota circle constellation "The Animal".

The dawn or heliacal rising of a star is important because it pinpoints a date exactly. This is the day a star is first seen, just before dawn, after it has been behind the Sun for an entire season. From about 1200 AD to 1700 AD, these 4 stars would have acted as solstice markers for the Native Americans - Fomalhaut (F to D) would rise 28 days before the Summer Solstice, Aldebaran (F to A) would rise during the 2 days just before the solstice, Rigel (F to B) would rise 28 days after the solstice, and Sirius (F to C) 28 days after that, at the end of August  

Now although there are many other things I could point out in this article, I will only address the bold text points with a little deviation. I don’t know who wrote this article but it is typical of the things that seem to be among the accepted explanations.

We read about the alignments of Aldebaran in Taurus, Rigel in Orion, and Sirius, and my first question is, who cares? For us to believe that these alignments were somehow significant to pinpointing some date with constellations is ridiculous. What? You can’t do that with the alignment of the sun? Does the Sun rise in a new location every day? Would this be like trying to find the forest but can’t see it for all the trees? Why would the ancients ignore the sun’s rising positions and choose a FIRST APPEARANCE of a star instead. You don’t need some big wheel made out of stone to SEE its FIRST APEARENCE. Isn’t a FIRST APPEARENCE sufficient to pin point that day in which it FIRST APEARED? And do we need to hike to the altitude of 9600 feet to SEE its FIRST APPEARANCE, or is it just as visible in the valley? Is any one catching what I’m saying? Are we insinuating that the ancients were idiots? Let me say at this time, I do not believe that the Indians as we know them today are the ones who have constructed this wheel, and that this comment is not for the purpose of diminishing this noble people. With the exception of a few tribes such as the Lenape and Ojibwa, the various tribes had no writing system and chose to resort to oral tradition. Since none of them claim to have made the marks upon the rocks (petroglyphs) or to have been responsible for the Earthworks of the Mississippi Valley or Utah Earthworks, why would they then build this wheel? You will notice I refer to the builders as the ancients and not the Indians.

In this same article it is said that these stars which play symbolic roles in an ancient Cheyenne Massaum ceremony and are also important stars in the sacred Lakota circle constellation The Animal. Yet in the links provided in the article (if one should visit them) you would find nothing pertaining to these stars which are the focal points to their theory.

In the article, it is written: From about 1200 AD to 1700 AD, these 4 stars would have acted as solstice markers for the Native Americans. Why? Was the Sun missing in those days? Solstice meaning "Sun Stopped" Interesting...

But the one statement that got me more than anything else was the concluding statement, and hence marking the end of summer and time to leave the mountain. This is the most asinine statement yet. I don’t suppose the increasing cold weather and the turning of the leaves or even the early snow might have been a clue as to when to leave the mountain? What? They sat up there day after day waiting for this prophetic sign? Who was tending the sheep down below?

A friend has facetiously mentioned that this could simply be a game of duck duck goose, and is it any less ridiculous than Jack Eddy’s (the “archaeoastronomer”) theory for the alignments with stars?

What is it?

In order for anything pertaining to this geo-glyph and/or observatory to make sense, we need to understand some things pertaining to the ancients of which the Indians are in part the descendants of. What was it that they worshipped, Stars? Many of the tribes in the origin and creation legends make note of a supreme being and many of those acknowledge the Son of God (including the Aztecs). Many of the tribes, though they communicated in many ways, made it clear that they worshipped the Sun, or more definitively, that which was behind it meaning the source of it’s brilliance or the power behind it. The only logical explanation in which this circle of stones was built in such a high place is not for a game of alpine duck duck goose but because of the vantage point of being able to see the largest spectrum of the horizon.

In the Native American Petroglyphs, the symbol for sky or the horizon around it is the circle with a base meaning of Holding, in other words it is my belief that the circle itself represents the horizon as viewed from this ideal location. Each of the cairns is positioned to represent a specific location upon the horizon, its equivalent in the symbol based petroglyphs being that of a dot or something similar. Although some of the cairns appear to be built in the shape of a U, I would think that they were intended to be a circle which here again is implied by the symbol Holding. Regardless, I would have no doubt that they are positioned for viewing some point such as a sunset or sunrise to mark a point in time or even a place in the distance.

The purpose of marking some point in time would be best understood by us in our celebration of the Birth of Christ on the specific day of December 25^th (which of course is not the correct day). We also have specific means by recording and observing the shortest day, the longest day and the two times each year which mark a time when the day is equal in time with the night or the midpoint between summer and winter. We don’t need stars for this but there are many reasons why anyone (including the ancients) wanted to know these times specifically.

Also, take into consideration that regardless of the mountains around a valley, the same thing could have been accomplished in the valley below, why did they choose to construct this wheel at the highest point? Many times throughout scriptural history we read of Prophets going to the tops of mountains to speak with God. Even today, many feel more connected when praying in the mountains. The point is that it would seem quite clear: the reasons for its construction are religious in nature as I can find no other reasonable explanation which warrants its construction at the one of highest points around.

There are two things that need to be determined. (1) When was this built? I don’t think it is possible to find out exactly when it was built but perhaps it is possible to discover if it had Origins in BC times. (2) We have the need to discover if it truly has any Solstice/Equinox alignments or related perspectives as well as comparing AD times with BC Times, how can this be done?

Fig. 3

In looking at Eddy’s drawing of the wheel above, we see the alignments that he noticed. It would seem that he noticed two solar alignments, of which, both appear to be noteworthy.

Fig. 4

It has been said that Eddy’s alignments would have been more accurate for 1200 to 1700 AD. I would love to hear what this excuse for non-accuracy is based upon; let’s see how accurate it is in the above image (Fig. 4). The red lines are based upon full sun above the horizon at 5.3 degrees elevation which is the first point of Full Sun. At Eddy’s sunrise position, I must admit that the sun peeks over and casts its first light at his projected point with half sun exposed in between his projection and the red line. This is with a visual horizon at 100 feet higher at 4.3 miles away. What this means is that Eddy’s proposal of alignment is acceptable for the Summer Solstice sunrise. The red line at the sunset position is basically the same in reverse; for sunset at the red line we have full sun at 5.3 degrees elevation with a visible horizon at 1600 feet lower at over 30 miles away. If this is the case and not much adjustment is needed, this would place his sunset position nearly correct at full sun. I find, at two other points, satisfactory alignments with Winter Sunrise and Sunset, but not as acceptable as the summer positions, however, who is going to be up there in 4 to 6 feet of snow to see it? I cannot find any other solar alignment within this stone circle based on today’s North.

What if this were constructed in BC times? What solar alignments would we find?

According to my compiled research, I have established a BC North Pole and with this pole in mind let’s see what we can come up with. How did I do this? This would take a book to explain at least, (SEE: Nephite North)  but this North Pole point which existed between ABOUT 2700 BC until the events of the crucifixion 2018 years ago, was approximately 600 Miles S/W of Anchorage Alaska.

In the following image, Fig. 5 using Eddy’s cairn letters, you can see a red line extending from Eddy’s C Cairn to F which would represent BC north (F) and south (C), Notice the line does not intersect with the center. I would almost think this was intentional as if to say, it was not meant to align with the horizon. In similar stone geo-glyphs with solar alignments, I have noticed that there is a North reference. I would suspect that if the outer circle correlates with the meaning of horizon then is it possible that the center cairn represents the Sun being held and that the outer dots are showing different locations on the horizon?

The Yellow line extending from D through the middle points to the BC Summer Solstice Sunrise. This position is calculated at 47 degrees azimuth and 4 degrees elevation of the sun (5.3 degrees being FULL Sunrise with a 0 degree horizon). The actual visible horizon is located some 15 miles away and is 1600 feet lower than the wheel, which means at 4 degrees you would have full sunrise. At cairn D, we have a perfect alignment.

Fig. 5

At the sun’s position with the line at cairn B extending through the center based on 324 degrees azimuth at a 0 degree elevation, if the visible horizon were not 70 miles away and 1000 feet lower we would have a ½ sunrise, but it is 1000 feet lower and 70 miles away, so this means that at approximately 324 degrees azimuth we have full sun, another perfect alignment. Keep in mind that at 60 degrees Latitude, the sun moves laterally more than it does vertically. 60 degrees was the latitude in BC times, today it is located at a Latitude of 44.83 N.

What about an equinox sunset or sunrise for that matter? In Fig. 6, from the position of cairn A, a line extending though the center in BC times would be about 260 degrees. The visible horizon is some 150 miles away and 3000 feet higher. Not taking this into consideration and based on an equal elevation; full sun (at a 5.3 degree elevation) would be at 162 degrees. However, considering the horizon is 3000 feet higher and 150 miles away, if an additional 1 degree was added in elevation (which seems reasonable), full sun prior to sunset based on this information would be at 260 degrees azimuth, which is a perfect alignment for the equinox sunset. However, this is one that I would have to see for myself.

Fig. 6

The equinox sunrise, in order to fit into the same alignment opposite of the line in the previous picture would require 79 degrees, but the sun at this point would have just have peeked over the visible horizon which is a little over 7 miles away and 300 feet lower. Although this could prove to be an accurate alignment, I’m just not satisfied with it.

At full sun, the alignment would look something like this.

Fig. 7

I would think that the equinox sunrise would be considered an important alignment and one that the ancients would be most concerned with, however I must say that although it is good enough, I was slightly disappointed. I guess I’ll just have to go see for myself that is unless there is another possibility. How about this? SEE Fig. 8

Fig. 8

The only thing that puzzles me about this is, why not set up a cairn in such a way that if a line were drawn on it, it would pass through the center? I don’t know why this is important to me, it just is. Perhaps I am being too meticulous. Now the fall and the spring equinox sunrises occur at 98 degrees azimuth, both alignments in the above picture are at 98 degrees. Is this just a coincidence? If so, it’s a pretty good one.

Winter Solstice

Now although I really don’t think anyone would be there to witness it, and can’t think for the life of me why anyone would indicate a winter solstice sunrise at such an elevation, it would appear that it is present, See Fig 9. Considering that the visible horizon is about 300 feet lower and a quarter mile short of 7 miles away at 141 degrees, if a line were drawn from the center cairn through cairn B (Opposite Summer Sunset); this would mark the exact placement of 141 degrees azimuth at near full sun.

Strangely enough, if we allowed the sun to continue to a full sunrise, we would be at approximately 159 degrees. Keep in mind that the sun at this point during the winter is traversing the sky in more of a horizontal path than a vertical one. If a line were drawn from Eddy’s cairn D to cairn E and beyond this also would point directly at full winter solstice sunrise.

Fig. 9

With the winter solstice sunset, we have remarkably the opposite. A line drawn from the center through D which is at 224 degrees azimuth is exactly the opposite of the summer solstice sunrise with the visible horizon only a mile away at the same elevation. At 224 degrees the sun has gone down with only about 1/4 of it exposed. If we come back to full sun prior to solstice sunset, the sun is at 195 degrees azimuth. With careful positioning of our lines, we can get two alignments that meet at a measurement of 195 degrees. What I mean by careful is for you to notice where the line leaves cairn F and passes through D and where it leaves cairn A and passes through B, it is not perfect. Maybe I’m just being too meticulous again.

Fig. 10                                                          Fig. 11

What about other alignments? In looking at cairn E naturally I wanted to see if this aligns with something significant.  Why is it removed from the outer circle as if to imply that it has some other meaning?

In Fig. 12, If a line were drawn from the center of the medicine wheel to cairn E it marks a place on the horizon some 77 miles away and 100 feet higher than that of the wheel. The dates we have a sunset with full sun at this location in BC times would have been the Evening of May 11^th and the evening of July 30^th which is at 297 degrees azimuth. What is interesting about this is that from the sunset of the 11^th of May to the Summer Solstice sunset is 40 days, the 11^th of May and the 21^st of June (not inclusive). The return trip of the sun from the 21^st to the 30^th of July (inclusive) is also 40 days.

Fig. 12

What about the sunrise direction? Is it also present there? Well guess what. Yes, it is and without a stretch of the imagination or the facts, a line drawn from cairn D through the center is Summer Solstice Sunrise. In Fig. 13 a line drawn from cairn D through cairn A will give us a 62 degree azimuth for the Mornings of May 11^th and July 30^th. It is a repeat of the previous two forty day periods except that it is for sunrise instead of sunset.

Fig. 13

But wait a minute, haven’t we heard this before? But it would be unheard of to believe that Jewish people were ever on this continent right? It would seem that the same dates are two consecutive 40 day periods, which are also present at the Milford Earthworks. For the very curious read more of the life of Moses.

The Plains Indians didn’t build the Milford Earthworks. Some people called the Allegwi did. You know, those people who were run off and went south and eventually became the Aztecs?

Yes, the Aztecs who in part came from the North who also have two consecutive 40 day periods of Fasting, like Moses when he received the first tablets for the Israelites and after breaking them had to return to the mountain and fast another 40 days? Where did the Allegwi, where in the mtDNA haplogroup X has been found in abundance, learn this? Oh well, no matter. I’m sure it is all a coincidence.

mtDNA Haplogroup X distribution

All of the above information is exact and true to the best of my knowledge without any stretching of the truth or the imagination. Visual horizons were considered in each case and determined accordingly. Anyone who would like to see the full details of how I arrived at each location is more than welcome and I will be happy to explain it further. But the best way to verify all of this is to go to the site and set up wooden stakes at the adjusted locations according to BC North, we could implement a pole change back to where it was, but history shows this can be catastrophic and besides, it won’t be long before it will be happening again. I hope you are all prepared.

However, you MUST understand, that just as I have shown in Jack Eddy’s theory and his presumptions that the sun has not at any time changed its course, and that North has always been where it is today or near, and that the sky, as in stars, have never changed, you must also realize that even though I am very certain of my BC North position, we have no way of knowing if the sun rose in the same positions it does today or that it did not rise in the west and set in the east... Just to be fair…