The solar system has been of interest to all ancient people. Sites of observation posts have been found all around the world. At the earliest times, these observations areas were usually posts of wood or stone that created alignments with equinoxes, solstices, risings and settings of planets, or the moon at various spots in its orbit. These events held significance for the people that observed them; astronomy was often incorporated into their belief systems. Rituals, and the construction of temples and tombs was affected by studies of the solar system and other stars.
Maya
|
|
The first evidence for astronomical achievements of the Maya dates back to about 300 B.C. At this time, a 365 day calendar existed, as well as a 260 day cycle. Between 200 A.D. and 900 A.D., Mayan civilization became more advanced. Carved stelea from this period contain calendrical dates, how these dates match up with the 260 day cycle, the correct phase of the moon and its position in the zodiac. The Maya also developed a Venus calendar that was accurate to one day in 500 years, an eclipse table that is still accurate today, their own zodiac and a table to follow Mars. They projected their astronomical findings thousands of years forward and backward. In order to make these calculations, they had a sophisticated mathematical system that utilized place values and the concept of zero.
Scotland
Cairns have been found in Scotland and Ireland that mark solar
events with extreme precision. Kintraw, a site near the west coast of Scotland,
could have been used to observe the winter solstice sunset with high precision.
At Kintraw, there is a small and large cairn, and a single standing stone,
called a menhir. A ledge on a cliff adjacent to the menhir provided a platform
with the exact spot for a person to view a beam of light that appears through a
V made by two mountains across the valley where the menhir is located that
appears at the winter solstice sunset. This site dates to the Early Bronze Age,
or about 1700 B.C.
China
 |
| Image courtesy of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Statue from the Alliance Income Fund. |
China provides one of the best places to gain knowledge about ancient people and astronomy because China has a long continuous history with a written tradition. Records of solar and astronomical observations were kept that allow researchers to know exactly how tools were used. There is astronomical evidence from as early as 25 A.D. A famous observatory in China was built for Guo Shou Jing in 1279. It is a gnomon, which is a pillar that is used to mark the hour. However, this was more than a simple gnomon. Instead of a pillar, it used a tower with a horizontal bar across the top that was used to mark the time of day and the time of year. The shadow created by this bar landed on a wall that extended out from the tower and was graduated for precise measurements. There were also instruments on top of the tower which were used to measure the positions of celestial objects. The measurements taken from this tower were precise.
United States
Cahokia, the site
of an important prehistoric Native American city is also the location of
astronomical tools similar to Stonehenge. Woodhenges were found when excavating
at Cahokia.
They are a series of wooden posts in the form of a circle or an arc that can be
used as a calender because they line up with the rising sun at certain times
during the year.
Egypt
 |
The Ancient Egyptians used astronomy and astrology. One of the main uses of astronomy was to align their pyramids. The pyramids are laid out along north-south and east-west lines. The Great Pyramid also has internal astronomical alignments asrooms inside the pyramid are also aligned along north-south and east-west alignments. Also, there is a shaft running through the pyramid that aligns with the star of Thuban on the northern end and with the stars in Orion's belt on the southern end. Both of these are important to the Egyptians. The stars were also used to mark the hours of the night. The stars used, called Decans, rise at different times during the night and are then used to tell time.
