Fresh Batch #157: Egyptian Astronomy
Which Culture Was the Intruders?
Lockyer wrote (Dawn. Astr. p. 341.), “In Lower Egypt the temples are pointed to rising stars near the north point of the horizon or setting north of west. In Upper Egypt we deal chiefly with temples directed to stars rising in the south-east or setting low in the south-west.
“Here again we are in presence of as distinct differences in astronomical thought and purpose of observation as we found among those who directed temples to the sun at the equinox, as opposed to those who worshipped that luminary at some other time of the year.
“Now with regard to the northern stars observed rising in high amplitudes, we have found traces of their worship in times so remote that in all probability at Annu and Denderah α Ursæ Majoris was used before it became circumpolar. We deal almost certainly with 5000 BC.”
What would it mean if the hieroglyphics, which correspond to Greek, aren’t that old? There are tons of implications that I and others have suggested, but the point of me citing these claims is that the traces of worship may not be interpreted, calculated, or dated accurately, and the idea of these temples facing certain directions may not have been dedicated to certain stars prior to the discovery of precession.
He continued (Ib. pp. 341, 342.), “Since undoubtedly new temples with nearly similar amplitudes (such as that denoted by M at Karnak) were built in late times, we find so long a range of time indicated that the utility of the stellar observations from the yearly point of view could scarcely have been in question, for the reason that the same star could not herald an equinox or a solstice for four thousand years.”
Again (Ib. p. 342, 343.), “It may be that such stars as Canopus were used by the southern peoples for the same purpose as α Ursæ Majoris first and then γ Draconis were used by the northerners. In other words, the question arises whether the extreme north and south stars were not both used as warners of the dawn all the year round, after the cult had been established for use at some special time. Canopus, for instance, was of use to herald the autumnal equinox, 6—5000 BC; but it is quite natural to suppose that its utility for night work at all times of the year during which it was visible would soon suggest itself, and the same remark apply to the Northern star γ Draconis.
“It is well known that in quite early times means had been found of dividing the day and night into twelve hours. In the day shadows cast by the sun, or sundials, might have been used, but how about the night?
“We have seen that the Egyptians chiefly, if not exclusively, observed a heavenly body and the position of other bodies in relation to it, when it was rising or setting, so that it was absolutely essential that the body which they were to observe should rise and set. Everybody knows that as seen in England there are many stars which neither rise nor set. The latitude of London being 51˚, the elevation of the pole is 51˚.
“Hence, any star which lies within that distance from the pole cannot set, but sweeps round without touching the horizon at all. The latitude of Thebes being 25˚, the distance from the pole to the horizon is much smaller, and so the number of stars which do not rise and set is much smaller. The stars which do not rise or set are stars near the pole, and therefore stars which move very slowly, and the stars which rise most to the north and most to the south are those bodies which are moving most slowly while they yet rise or set.”
This is inseparable from the mysteries of the Common Era, demonstrating the technique and influence from which all religions spawned since then. Lockyer wrote (Ib. pp. 346, 347.), “At Naga (now spelled Naqa or Naga’a), Meroë, Gebel Barkal and Nuri, there is information of the most important kind, but beyond Naga there is a gap; but since important structures were erected at the places named in early times (my inquiries suggest 3000—4000 BC), it is probable that the peoples who built them stretched further towards the equator.”
It may be anecdotal, but I cannot help notice the correlation to Naga and Meroë to a Naga, which is a half-human and half-serpent being, and Meru, as in Mount Meru.
Lockyer wrote (Ib. p. 349.), “The Hawk-god of Edfû, Harhouditi, the southern Horus, had for servant a number of individuals called Masniu or Masnitiu = blacksmiths. The Hawk-god of the Delta, the northern Horus, Harsiisit, had for his entourage the Shesu Horu.”
How many archetypes of this system are smiths? Count the ways.
The Origin of Egyptian Astronomy—The Northern Schools
Lockyer wrote (Ib. p. 358.), “We have found that from the earliest times there were astronomical observations carried on, and that practically there were three schools of thought. To all three schools sun-worship was common, but we may clearly separate them by the associated star-worship. We have found worshippers of northern stars, east and west stars, and southern stars.
“The northern star-worshippers we may associate with Annu, the east and west star cult with the pyramid fields at Gîzeh, and the southern star-worshippers with Upper Egypt.
“What we have to do in the present chapter is to see whether the orientation of the structures helps us with any suggestions touching the question whether we have to stop at the places named and acknowledge Egypt to be the true cradle of astronomical science; or whether the facts we have considered compel us to go a stage further back, and to recognise that the true origin was elsewhere that, in short, astronomy, instead of taking its rise in Egypt, was simply imported thither.”
For those interested in exploring this important question, whether Egypt was the cradle of astronomical science or whether it was imported there, dive into the Spirit Whirled series and The Real Universal Empire.
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