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A full frontal view of Serpent Rock. The camera is pointing approximately north. This is a winter solstice photo. dec. 2003 (jm) Photo by DeAnne Goodwin.
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The Summer Solstice sun is seen rising from the top of a mountain across the canyon as seen from the top of Serpent Rock, providing a 'direct' marker event. In the days after Summer Solstice, the sun will begin rising progressively southward, or to the right of the position seen here. This important event was first noted by Karl Kempton in 1979. Photo by Norm Hammond, June 21, 2001."
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Sunrise from the Upper Marker Hole at Serpent Rock. The sun's image here has a "starburst" effect. Photo by Norm Hammond.
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The carved steps going up the northwest side of Serpent Rock
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"Grinding holes at Serpent Rock. These were used to process acorns and other seeds used for food by the Chumash."
(NH)
"Since these are associated with a sacred site of these were used for acorn grinding and seeds, I would guess they were used for special meals in that there is another grinding site 100 yards away. I would guess these and others here were for medicines of various sorts and for rites associated with the site." (KK) Photo by Karl Kempton.
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"Winter solstice last lite approach -- i.e. sunset -- over ocean framed by carved arc that is also on the summer solstice sun first lite appearance -- i.e. sunrise -- over hill top. Very rare at this time to know of a dust event associated with the ocean horizon line but that the summer solstice first rays come off a hill top and through this carved arc shows such an event. Of course what the actual horizon line once was will never be known because of its destruction during the school construction." (kk)
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"The small alcove in the southwestern end of the main rock complex. An 'Eye of Light' appears in this alcove a few minutes after sunrise on the Winter Solstice, and an image of a 'Coyote' appears in this same alcove at Winter Solstice sunset." (NH) Photo by DeAnne Goodwin.
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"The alcove from a distance, showing its relation to the west end of Serpent Rock."
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"The 'Coyote' is seen drinking or eating in the alcove at sunset during the Winter Solstice. As in many other Native American cultures, the Coyote in Chumash mythology was both a trickster and benefactor of man. This striking event was first noted by poet Karl Kempton in 1979."(nh)
Coyote either eating or expelling a shaft of light during ocean horizon lift to sun. Snout is in a carved groove which the shaft of light is tangent to and would fit into. It is probable that the Pacific tectonic plate drift at 32 miles per million years has shifted this event. (kk) Photo by DeAnne Goodwin
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"The 'Upper Marker Hole' for Winter Solstice." (nh) Photo by DeAnne Goodwin
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"At first light on dawn on the Winter Solstice, the shadow line first appears touching the edge of this man-made Upper Marker Hole at the top of Serpent Rock. The sun as seen on the horizon in this photo is as far south as it will be for the rest of the year. After the solstice it will begin its journey back north (to the left from where it is seen in this photo) and will not be seen touching this edge of the Marker Hole until the following year at Winter Solstice. This event was first noted by Norm Hammond in 1998." (nh) Photo by DeAnne Goodwin.
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318. "The Lower Marker Hole for Winter Solstice. The first light of dawn occurs a few minutes later at the man-made Lower Marker Hole, which is at the base of Serpent Rock on the south west side. This allows two separate sunrise events at this site. If the observer climbs down quickly after seeing the first event, they can also see this other event as the sun rises at this lower location. Both the Upper and Lower Marker Hole events have the very first light of dawn touching the edge of the marker hole.
This event was first noted by Norm Hammond, in 1998."(nh)
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"The 'Eye of Light.' This can be regarded as the third event that occurs during Winter Solstice sunrise at Serpent Rock. This dot of light (which appears a few minutes after the event on the Lower Marker Hole) was first noted by archaeologist Bob Gibson during the Winter Solstice of 1981." (nh)
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