Transcript The Dead Guys a.k.a: The development of astronomy

Archeoastronomy
The study of the astronomical
practices, celestial lore, mythologies,
religions and world-views of all ancient
cultures.
Early Astronomy
Why People Began to
Watch the Sky
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Time
Navigation
Religion
Entertainment
2000B.C.
– First constellations
recorded by Sumerians is
first written astronomy-but
astronomy is still older
Astronomy Timeline
3500B.C.-Construction of Stonehenge I
begins.
2500B.C.-Pyramids in Egypt.
2300B.C.-Megaliths appear at
Stonehenge
1400B.C.-Chinese record solar eclipse
500B.C.-Babylonian astronomy reaches
highest point
300B.C.-Greek astronomy reaches its
height
Eratosthenes determines size of the
earth
135B.C.-Hipparchus develops first star
catalog and measures star brightness
Astronomy Timeline Continued
100B.C.-Chinese
astronomers estimate size of
the round earth and moon
28B.C.- Chinese record
sunspots
200A.D.-Teotihuacan Empire
reaches its height
250A.D.-Rise of Mayans,
300A.D.-Nazca Culture in
Peru
500A.D.-Rise of Anasazi in
American Southwest
820A.D.-Muslim astronomy
begins
Astronomy Timeline Continued
900A.D.-End of Mayan
period/Begin Mississippian culture
920A.D.-Building of Uxmal in
Yucatan
940A.D.-Oldest Chinese star map
1000A.D.-Caracol at Chichen Itza
constructed
1100A.D.-Decline and
disappearance of Anasazi
1200A.D.-Rise of Inca
1300A.D.-Aztec Civilization
Rises/Height of Cahokia
Stonehenge
• Built 2800-1800 B.C.
•It’s the oldest timepiece in existence
• Designed for astronomical observation
•It’s a monument in S. England
• Helps in predicting eclipses & cycles of
moon
• Aligns at the solstices
Map of
Stonehenge
Stonehenge Astronomy
Egyptian Pyramidal Astronomy
Astronomy used for positioning of the
pyramids
Vents & passageways align with specific stars
Pyramids are slightly off
Divide the sky into constellations
These are known as star clocks
“Diagonal calendars”
Calendars – 3 seasons
Pyramid of Giza
The Teotihuacan
Population over 200,000 people
Around Mexico city
Largest city in ancient world
650 A.D. – great fire swept the city
Calendar with moon phases
2 important pyramids – sun & moon
Pyramids are flat topped
Teotihuacan Pyramid
The Maya
Believed that Earth was flat with 4 corners
Portrayed ecliptic in art work
Concluded year was slightly more than 365 days
(Evidence of a calendar system)
Observed Venus & Mercury when visible
(observatories)
Math – they created the number 0
Also created a writing system (hieroglyphics)
Civilization found in Mexico
Mayan Architecture
Caracol
The Nazca
Built lines for aliens 300 A.D.
Located in Peru
Nazca lines that they created are known as
“geoglyphs”
Since these lines are on a flat surface and its climate
is extremely dry, nearly all geoglyphs remain
completely intact.
Appeared 500 B.C.
Nazca Geoglyphs
The Anasazi
2,000 years ago
Known for their agriculture
Found supernova in 1054 in Chaco Canyon, New
Mexico
Located North Pole using trellis twigs
Forecast weather by insect activity & wind direction
Anasazi Architecture
The Inca
Interest in dark space between stars
Observed sun in small caves – built with windows that
centered around winter solstice
1200 A.D.
Built their cities high in the moutains (Machu Picchu)
Incan Architecture
Incan Architecture
The Aztecs
1300 A.D.
Observes of nature & all its cycles, stars, seasons
Counting systems based on #20
Pyramids aligned with solar system
2 calendars – religion & time
Created a writing system
Created a sun stone calendar
Mapped out the sky
Aztec Architecture
Archeoastronomy in Illinois
1000 A.D. woodhenge in Illinois – allows us to tell
time
Used woodhenge for harvest
This was an ancient calendar built in the
Mississippian landscape
Map of Cahokia
Monk’s Mound
Woodhenge
Amesbury, England
Many made through out the world
“Wooden Stonehenge”
Central sun – watching station
Sun aligned with poles at solstices, equinoxes, and other
important dates
Religious
Woodhenge
The End