Ancient Calendars And Constellations

The great temple of Amen-Ra at Thebes... is oriented to the setting sun of the season so important to Egyptians, that of the summer solstice, and this fact strengthens the opinion that Amen was considered to be a god in some way presiding over the course of the year and its right measurement. -from "Amen and the Egyptian Year" First published in 1903 as Ancient Calendars and Constellations, this overview of early astronomical observations and how they influenced the belief systems and religions of early civilizations quickly became a resource later scholars looked to for guidance. From the very beginnings of astronomy, nearly 8,000 years ago, to the more "modern" ancient astronomies of Greece, Egypt, India, Persia, and China, this charming and erudite book will fascinate students of science, history, and mythology as well as lovers of the night sky.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1903 Edition.

Dates form the backbone of written history. But where do these dates come from? Many different calendars were used in the ancient world. Some of these calendars were based upon observations or calculations of regular astronomical phenomena, such as the first sighting of the new moon crescent that defined the beginning of the month in many calendars, while others incorporated schematic simplifications of these phenomena, such as the 360-day year used in early Mesopotamian administrative practices in order to simplify accounting procedures. Historians frequently use handbooks and tables for converting dates in ancient calendars into the familiar BC/AD calendar that we use today. But very few historians understand how these tables have come about, or what assumptions have been made in their construction. The seven papers in this volume provide an answer to the question what do we know about the operation of calendars in the ancient world, and just as importantly how do we know it? Topics covered include the ancient and modern history of the Egyptian 365-day calendar, astronomical and administrative calendars in ancient Mesopotamia, and the development of astronomical calendars in ancient Greece. This book will be of interest to ancient historians, historians of science, astronomers who use early astronomical records, and anyone with an interest in calendars and their development.