The Pyramids of Giza, especially the Great Pyramid of Cheops, show a clear alignment with the cardinal points, pointing to the critical role of astronomy in their construction. They believed that the stars represented the afterlife, and the Pharaoh's soul would ascend to the sky to join the eternal dance of the cosmos. The Egyptians were skilled astronomers they mapped the constellations visible in the night sky, developed a 365-day calendar based on the heliacal rising of the star Sirius, and aligned their monuments with celestial bodies. In ancient Egypt, astronomy was intimately linked with religion, timekeeping, and the agricultural calendar. Notably, the Babylonians developed a mathematical model for predicting Jupiter’s movements, demonstrating their deep understanding of celestial mechanics. Their astronomical records are considered the earliest known, dating back to the 2nd millennium BCE. The Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians established the zodiac system, tracked planetary movements, and recorded eclipses and other celestial events on clay tablets. Regarded as the birthplace of astronomy, ancient Mesopotamia - the area around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern-day Iraq and parts of Iran, Syria, and Turkey - witnessed the development of remarkably advanced astronomical systems. Ancient Mesopotamia: The Birthplace of Astronomy This article explores the early interpretations of the stars in various ancient cultures and their enduring influence on our understanding of the cosmos. Far from passive observers, these early civilizations developed sophisticated systems to track and predict celestial events, using their knowledge to inform their agriculture, navigation, and spiritual beliefs. Ancient cultures across the globe turned their eyes skyward, striving to understand the mysteries of the stars, the moon, the sun, and the planets. Since time immemorial, humans have been fascinated by the cosmos.
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