Northern labyrinths are stone constructions of different shapes, dating back to III-I century BC. They mainly appear on capes on peninsulas and islands up to 13 -25 metres above the sea level. Their area begins from Scilly Isles (England) and in the White Sea (Russia). Opinions of scientists concerning their designation are controversial. Assumptions about their practical meaning haven't been proved: no burials have been found underneath; fishing equipment cannot be located so far from the area of tides. Most of the scientists link labyrinths with the sphere of spiritual culture: sanctuaries, altars, sacred places, schemes of rituals and magical centers. Assumptions about calendar designation link the picture of labyrinth with schemes of orbits of the Sun, the Moon, planets and stars. However they do not explain the application of this technology. The author's concept is based on the opposite astronomical alignment by the shade of gnomon and considers peculiarities of the geographical space of Northern regions (polar days and white nights). The aim of the research is to prove that the key to decoding the picture of a classic Northern labyrinth is a gnomon located in the centre of the construction. Field research has been conducted on Zayztskiy Island in Solovetskiy Archipelago. Experiments of imitation modeling have been done, analysis of linguistic and toponymic materials, archeological, astronomical, ethnographical and mythological and other sources has been implemented. The research has proved that observations of the shade can help to create a calendar in a shape of a bispiral labyrinth. The structure of labyrinth is convenient for defining the North, dividing daytime and defining geographical altitude of the observation point. Orientation in space and time has become the basis for navigation frame of the territory. A set of stone instruments is the key of a navigation frame of the territory. Life-essential stages of the yearly lighting are reflected in specific geometry shapes of shades. They have been preserved in mythological images of the Sun, solar symbols and modern sign systems. Languages, alphabets, numeric systems can be considered as models of geographical space and have evolved thanks to observations of the light movement. Key results of the research: 1) in the past the Sun used to play the leading role in navigation in the North because reference points of the dark sky were not available for observation; 2) Northern labyrinths have been created and used thanks to gnomon; 3) gnomon has been in the sphere of sacred knowledge for a long time, it was integrated as sundial 2.5 thousand years ago; 4) most symbols of the Sun and the Time are connected with gnomon and labyrinth; 5) the Sun, observation tools and results of observations are reflected in models of the world around-navigation, linguistic, toponymical, mythological, sacral and semiotic; 6) The universal sense of Time helps to understand a wide range of meanings of a sign of a labyrinth: birth; life stages (status, transitions initiations); sp...

ABSTRACT:The article shows the objective criteria of sacralization of objects of natural and cultural heritage of Eastern Europe and Southern Siberia, based on the performance of informational function in ancient human life-support system (as instruments of navigation in space-time). Transformation of functions of sacral objects from their inception to the beginning of the third millennium, due to the development of geo-cultural space (changes in technology, socio-cultural paradigm and social and economic conditions). The stages of the evolution of navigation technologies, selected by the author on the basis of cultural layering of archaeological objects are reviewed in the article. The carried-out retrospective analysis allows to make the assumption that improvement of technologies of orientation could be a basis of emergence and development of Homo sapiens (sapientation): astronomical supervision in horizon observatory develops a system of ecological thinking; supervision over a shadow of the gnomon tool develops abstract thinking (the abstract graphic sign is genetically connected with concrete natural process)

For millennia, humans have been using the gnomon whose shadow passes the trajectory of the light source (sun or moon) as a measurement tool. With the gnomon authors prove that the ancient stone labyrinths in Northern Europe are solar calendars, sundials and compasses. Studies of cultural heritage around the world show that the majority of them might serve as orientation in space-time. According to the authors, the collection of ancient navigational facilities can be considered as ancient astronomical and geodetic network and as a record of astronomical history of the planet. For systemic analysis of this information it is necessary to create a base of paleo-astronomical data. The acquired information may be useful for studies of the history of the Earth and the history of science: the dynamics of changes of inclination of the Earth's axis, offset of the polar circles and the tropics, the characteristics of long-period rhythms of the planet, the evolution of climatic environments and the development of navigation technologies of the past. In addition, the creation of a network of solar observatories, with the technique of automatic registration shadow or a ray of light, will provide objective information on the solar-terrestrial relations and rhythms of nature

Problems of preservation and research of prehistoric cultural heritage objects in the Arctic are reviewed in the article. To determine the priority tasks in the field of preserving the heritage of this region, the most probable risks of physical loss and loss of quality of objects associated with natural and anthropogenic factors are analyzed. A special feature of the Arctic is its increased sensitivity to anthropogenic influence and climate change. Therefore, in the context of global warming, the risks of losing the cultural wealth of a region and a planet increase substantially. An important role in the preservation of heritage sites can be played by measures to ensure conservation status, involvement in tourism and recreation development projects. One of the aspects of the conservation problem is that the cultural heritage objects of the Arctic region are still poorly understood as a valuable resource of information about nature and society. New methods developed by the authors of the article allow us to consider prehistoric heritage sites as functional elements of the ancient life support system and the modern geocultural space. The use of these methods allows us to zone the territory with the allocation of sustainable areas, which have been performing environmental and informational social functions for thousands of years. It is on these sites that ancient heritage objects are located. Correctly holding the boundaries of prehistoric cultural heritage objects (in the natural boundaries of natural systems) allows us to save information about the functional relationships in the socio-natural system. The article shows that the application of the methodology and research methods developed by the authors of the article will significantly reduce the risks of losing cultural heritage in the Arctic and other regions

The rational functions of primitive art are considered in the article. The reconstruction of the algorithm for the creation and use of petroglyphs as a marking of solar calendars and sundials with the help of an ancient astronomical instrument-gnomon is proposed. Standard geographic methods and observations of the shadow of objects were used in the study. To calculate the shadow charts, the basic trigonometric function and the astrocalculator were used. According to the results of the study, the following conclusions have been formulated: 1. The basis for constructing images is made up of graphic signs that reflect the movements of light; 2. The tool for marking the drawings could be a shadow of vertical objects and a rope; 3. To create the calendar, the most stable natural material-stone-was used, as well as noticeable elements of its heterogeneity-cracks and forms of relief.