Buzz
Our ancestors demonstrated remarkable intelligence, and numerous discoveries over time have provided evidence of what they observed and studied. One area of particular interest to them was astronomy. Many of their greatest achievements were tied to their observations of the sky above.
10. The Dresden Codex
The Dresden Codex is a Mayan manuscript that was presented to the Royal Library in Dresden, Germany, around the 1730s. It remained largely overlooked until the late 1800s, when German mathematician Ernst Forstemann identified that much of the text appeared to be related to the planet Venus, even though Mayan hieroglyphics could not be read at the time. It wasn’t until the 1920s that chemical engineer John Teeple suggested the manuscript was a sophisticated system for tracking Venus’s movements.
The manuscript is believed to originate from the tenth century, written by an astronomer who carefully observed Venus over a span of 25 years. This was done 500 years before Copernicus made his own records of planetary movements. Venus’s path was meticulously tracked and analyzed because the Maya aligned certain significant ceremonies with its movements.
9. The Seasonal Monolith
Atop a ridge called Gardom’s Edge in Manchester, England, stands a 2.1-meter-tall (7 ft), 4000-year-old monolith. Triangular in shape, its north-facing side is flat. Nearby Neolithic-era findings indicate that this site likely held special significance for ancient peoples.
Though the exact meaning of the site to ancient cultures remains a mystery, we do know that the monolith had a clever purpose—marking the seasons. The way the monolith was illuminated allowed for seasonal changes to be observed. In winter, the slanted side cast a shadow, while in summer, shadows appeared only in the morning and afternoon. At midsummer, the stone would be brightly lit throughout the entire day.
8. Babylonian Astronomical Geometry
Astronomical geometry, the system used to predict the movements of celestial bodies, was once thought to have been first created by medieval mathematicians at Oxford University in the 14th century. However, a Babylonian clay tablet with nearly identical marks refutes this idea. Decoding the tablet reveals what is believed to be the earliest known system of astronomical calculation, dating at least 1,400 years before the Oxford discoveries.
The Babylonian system was established between 350 and 50 BC and was used to track the movements of Jupiter, referred to as the “white star.” The tablet was one of four others related to geometry, but their full meaning wasn’t understood until 2015, when a kind of Babylonian Rosetta Stone was found. This breakthrough allowed the deciphering of the tablets, all of which contained intricate calculations derived from a more complete geometric table.
7. The Antikythera Mechanism
The Antikythera Mechanism, named after the Greek island near where it was found, was discovered in 1901 in the wreckage of a ship dating to the first century BC. For years, historians have been intrigued by its purpose, and it was eventually revealed to be a mechanical device that acted as a calendar to track the positions of the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets. However, it’s only recently that we discovered its intended audience—philosophers and students.
A 3,500-character fragment (just a quarter of the original text) found inside the device reveals that it was not intended for research or calculations but was designed to teach philosophy students about the cosmos and humanity’s place in the universe. Essentially, it served as a textbook, conveying ancient knowledge of astronomy and its relevance to their lives.
6. The Stargazing Tombs
In Portugal, 6,000-year-old tombs made of stone slabs were uncovered in 2016. These tombs may have served an important purpose—observing Aldebaran, the red star that shines brightest in the Taurus constellation. Like a telescope without a lens, many of the tombs are positioned to offer a clear, unobstructed view of Aldebaran, enhanced by the structure's design.
Aldebaran may have held particular significance for shepherds, who used its rising to guide their flocks to summer grazing areas in the mountains. The appearance of Aldebaran during morning twilight was likely a key event. These tombs weren’t solely for burial; they also played a role in rites of passage. Many of these ceremonies involved imparting an astronomical secret to initiates, in this case, the importance of Aldebaran.
5. The ‘Demon Star’ Calendar
The Cairo Calendar, also known as the “Demon Star” Calendar, dates back to between 1237 and 1163 BC. The “demon star” refers to Algol, a flickering star that is one of the main focuses of this calendar. The Cairo Calendar was used to determine which days were considered “lucky” or “unlucky,” and astronomers began noticing a recurring pattern, occurring every 2.85 days, which coincides with the dimming cycle of Algol.
The name “Algol” comes from the Arabic phrase ra’s al-ghul, meaning “the demon’s head,” but the Egyptians referred to it as Wadjet or the “Eye of Horus.” To the Egyptians, when the Eye of Horus was shining brightly, it signified that Horus was in a state of rage, while when it dimmed, it indicated that he had calmed down.
The true significance of the Egyptians observing Algol lies in the fact that it represents the first recorded instance of someone tracking a variable star. Before the discovery of the Cairo Calendar, no one had tracked a variable star until 3,000 years later.
4. The Greek Constellation Wine Cup
For many years, historians believed that an ancient Greek wine cup with two handles, now housed in the Lamia Archaeological Museum in Greece, was simply decorated with harmless animal images. However, upon closer inspection, the cup was found to possibly depict star constellations.
The artifact itself dates back to 625 BC and was largely ignored upon its initial discovery. While many Greek items featured hunting scenes, this wine cup stood out: It displayed several animal species that didn’t belong. For example, dolphins were shown alongside land creatures, and scorpions appeared prominently at a time when such depictions were rare.
Why would the Greeks craft such an unusual object? To serve as a calendar. The cup was a straightforward depiction of constellation positions across the seasons, an area of study the ancient Greeks took seriously. By engraving these images on the cup, they sought to embed knowledge of the constellations in those who used it.
3. Celestial Petra
Petra was the capital of the largely unknown Nabatean civilization, which thrived from the third century BC to the first century AD. Among its many roles, Petra was a thriving hub of trade, a spiritual center, and a city designed with the celestial deities in mind. The Nabateans worshipped the Sun, and many of the city’s structures were specifically aligned with its movements. In fact, on certain days of the year, such as the winter solstice, some of the city’s most important buildings would be brilliantly illuminated by the Sun’s rays.
The winter solstice was especially significant for the Nabateans, who believed it marked the birth of their principal god, Dushara. In their monastery, Ad Deir, the sacred platform creates a striking light-and-shadow effect during the winter solstice. The immense effort the Nabateans put into aligning their city with celestial phenomena makes Petra one of the most remarkable human achievements on Earth.
2. The Oldest Mayan Calendar
In 2012, an excavation at the Xultun ruins in Guatemala, dating back to the ninth century, uncovered a dilapidated wall with a mural. Upon closer inspection, a room, partly exposed by looters, was found to contain numerals, figural artwork, and most notably, lunar glyphs. The presence of these glyphs indicated that the walls had an astronomical connection.
The Maya were renowned for their detailed astronomical records, so researchers delved deeper into this theory. After deciphering the numerals and glyphs, it was revealed that the walls contained the oldest known Mayan calendar. The Xultun numerical tables showcased the advanced Maya understanding of astronomy: they developed their own time measurement system based on lunar cycles, and some of the charts even pointed to their observation of planetary movements, including the lunar cycles of Jupiter.
1. The Great Circles At Orkney
Known as 'The Great Circles,' this Neolithic-era site is the oldest collection of standing stones in Britain, dating back 5,000 years. For a long time, it was believed that the Great Circles had some connection to the Sun and Moon, but the true complexity of the site wasn’t fully understood until recently. By using advanced 2-D and 3-D modeling techniques, researchers were able to uncover the intricate alignment between the Great Circles and the heavens.
It turns out that the Great Circles not only align with various positions of the Sun and Moon, but they also correspond with the surrounding landscape, horizon, and the movement of the Sun and Moon in that particular region. The builders of the Circles seemed to possess an advanced understanding of the connection between the Earth and the sky, continuing this tradition of aligning standing stones for the following 2,000 years.
+Further Reading
Who hasn’t gazed at the stars in awe at least once in their life? They have always been a constant source of mystery, wonder, and fascination. Here are some collections from our archives that you’re sure to enjoy:
10 Groundbreaking Astronomical Milestones 15 Commonly Held Myths About Astronomy 10 Incredible Astronomical Events Captured On Film 10 Fascinating Astronomical Artifacts 10 Mysterious Stellar Phenomena Yet To Be Solved
