What
is Archeoastronomy?
Wikipedia says: ”Archaeoastronomy is the
study of how people in the past "have understood" the
phenomena in the sky, how they used these phenomena and what role the
sky played in their cultures.”
Others say:”…
the study of ancient civilization's use of the sky for purposes of
calendar, agriculture, ritual, ceremony, mythology and celestial
event prediction.
Archaeoastronomy
draws on the disciplines of astronomy, archaeology and ethnology to
identify and interpret these ancient inscriptions and
alignments”.
I say,
”Archaeoastronomy
is the study of astronomy through
stone" found on Earth.
Archaeoastronomical artifacts
are found all over the world
and have been constructed in all periods of history.
The knowledge of astronomy in
ancient times are recorded in these stones.”
Our ancient ancestors had devised clever ways
to record the celestial movements.
Here are some techniques that ancient people used
to obtain knowledge of astronomy.
Horizon sightings: Observation at local horizon of the risings/settings of certain stars.
Local horizon risings/settings of the moon,
planets or Sun on the horizon.
Observers would have notice the heliacal
risings/settings of stars. Using the horizon as a line to catch the
exact moment of the risings/settings of planets, moon and stars.
Resulting in accurate observations of the motion of the heavens.
 |
| Heliacal rising of the star Canopus in Stellarium |
Shadow imaging:
Observing the shadow the Sun casts (shadow and light).
Observers would have set stone slabs on rock
faces to create light slits to create shadow on the background walls.
On these background walls there would be rock carvings interacting
with the shadows produce by the slabs to give the observer the
knowledge of seasons through out the year.
 |
| Sun dagger at Fajada Butte, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico, USA. |
Rock/ Stone Carvings:
Observing the motion of the sky and the sun and record it on stone or
bone.
Observers/assistants would have carved
observations of the night sky on rock or bone to keep record of time
and events passing. These astronomical tools could then be passed to
next generations to further on the knowledge of astronomy.
Architectural alignments:
Align buildings with astronomical events.
Observers/builders would set alignments with
accurate positioning of the Sun, the Moon or the stars within the
buildings they built. Walls surrounding temples, stones align to the
Solstices or Equinoxes (rising or setting of the Sun). Passage graves
align with certain dates to commemorate and remember past times. Stone
circles and Standing stones helping catch the exact time of certain
events in the heavens. Incorporate astronomical alignments in the
layout of important buildings.
 |
Seated between Amen-Re to his left and Re-Harkhti to his right, the statue of Ramses II
has greeted the rising sun twice a year for the past 3,200 years at Abu Simbel.
Photograph by Georg Gerste
|
Archaeoastronomy
tends to be thought
as a
fringe discipline that established institutions take with caution. It
is often ridiculed and lowered as pseudo-research. In any cases the
field of archaeoastronomy has open many new ideas about our
past
and the way our
ancestors
viewed their
surroundings and the sky above.
In
my opinion, the search for new
ways to find the truth should be acceptable and encouraged by
professionals and amateurs alike. As it was mentioned at the
beginning of this article, archaeoastronomy is a interdisciplinary tool
that helps make
sense of the problem encountered on the field. Not only that, but
giving other
disciplines more credibility.
In my 1 year research on the connection of astronomy to the ancient civilizations. I used these techniques to identify a connection to astronomy at these rock art sites i visited in Morocco in 2014 and 2016. Linking petroglyphs to astronomy, in form of astronomical alignments and celestial body (Moon, Planets, Sun, stars) calendars.
Continue reading the next article in the series. Echoes of Archaeoastronomy: 2/4 Villageof Ait Ouazik, Southern Morocco and village of Oukaimeiden, Atlasmountains, Morocco.
Please
take time to read the links and PDF files about the subject.
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