Archeoastronomy of the Egyptian and Mayan Cultures

Jordan Seres, Scarlet Benoit, JJ perez,

Lorrie Vazquez

Survey of the Universe (EMPACTS) Kelly howe, Instructor Northwest Arkansas Community College, Bentonville, AR 72712

Archaeoastronomy

The study of astronomical practices, celestial lore, mythologies, religions,

and world-views of all ancient cultures

Objective

● Gain personal knowledge ● Create models to represent

monumental relationships among astronomical observation

● Impact our community by sharing information

● Donating models to the EMPACTS lab

• Research Our research was mostly done on the internet or Books that related to our topic

• Model Construction

We designed, constructed and refined our models for presentation to other classes

Method

Egyptian Astronomy

Giza Necropolis built on 30th latitude

Adheres to cardinal grid

Knew the Earth was spherical

Great pyramid: accurate scale model of Earth’s dimensions

Used Sothis as sign for flooding

365 day calendar year, 12 months

Precession of the Equinoxes: changes in coordinates of fixed

stars over 25,920 years due to axis tilt.

Instruments of Astronomical Measurement: sundial, water

clocks, and the merkhet (measured stellar azimuths).

The brass hook was probably a form of Pesh-en-Khaf, a sighting

device for stellar alignment.

Sphinx Faces Due East, sun shines in eyes on equinoxes

Temple and Sanctuaries aligned with cardinal directions.

24 pillars in interior colonnade represent 24 hours

The Pyramids of Giza

Ancient Egyptians found true north by using

Kochab and Mizar

It’s still a mystery as to how they came to

achieve it.

True North (Polaris) today was different in

2500 BC

The Orion Correlation Theory states that the

Pyramids of Giza are lined up perfectly with

Orion’s Belt.

Khufu-Alnitak, Khafre-Alnilam, Menkaure-

Mintaka

Has a high probability of being false

The Pyramid of Khufu has four air shafts

They were aligned with Orion’s belt, Alpha

Draconis, Sirius, and Kochab

Also known as the stars that never die.

Ancient Mayan Astronomy

The Mayans accurately calculated the times when the Sun would

rise and set.

Mayan cities show astronomical orientation in the

construction of buildings.

The Mayans believed that space and the concept of time were

connected.

They expressed this in their complex calendar system and in

monuments such as El Castillo.

El Castillo ● A strange phenomenon happens

during a week before the fall and

spring equinox.

● There is a perfect alignment with the

zenith passage.

● Each side of the temple has 91 steps.

4 x 91 = 364

plus the main platform being 1,

equals 365.

The Mayan Calendar

● Perhaps the most important application of the Mayan mathematical system was in the development of their calendars.

● Using their knowledge of astronomy and mathematics, the ancient Maya developed one of the most accurate calendar systems in human history.

● Maya used three different calendars

1. Long Count Calendar 2. Tzolk’in 3. Haab

Long Count Calendar Mechanics

● base-20 counting system ● Right to left:

○ Kin - 1 day ○ Winals - 20 days (20 kin) ○ Tuns - 360 days (approx. 1

year) ○ Katuns - 7,200 days

(approx. 20 years) ○ Baktun - 144,000 days

(approx. 394 years)

The Calendar Round

● Combination of Haabs and Tzolk’in

● Is made of 3 interlocking cycles ○ 365 solar year ○ 20 names ○ 13 numbers

● Days are designated by how the three numbers line up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhWItvjk9Yg

3-D printing JJ worked with 3D printing

specialist Lee stidham

Model Construction

Lorrie was in charge of gathering materials and leading

in the construction of our model.

Model Construction

Lorrie was in charge of gathering materials and leading

in the construction of our model.

Model Construction materials

● Poster Board (ground and sky)

● 3D printed Model ● Acrylic paint (sky

and 3D Model ● Fake grass ● Mini trees

● Poster board (ground and sky) ● Acrylic paint (ground) ● Craft Sand ● 3D PRinted Pyramid and Sphinx ● Paper (two other pyramid) ● Popsicle sticks (causeways and tombs ● LED lights (Orion and Leo

Constellations ● Batteries (for lights)

Presentation

We presented our project to high school students

who are in the Early College Experience Program taking a

criminal Justice course through Nwacc

Conclusion

We learned about the contrasting cultures of the Mayan and Ancient Egyptians along with their understanding of ancient astronomy.

Sources

http://www.terpconnect.umd.edu/~tlaloc/archastro/cfaar_as.html

http://www.antiquityofman.com/Krupp_Sphinx_Blinks.html

http://www.crystalinks.com/sphinxfacts.html

http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/pyramid-air-shafts.html

https://www.exploratorium.edu/ancientobs/chichen/HTML/castillo.html

http://www.mayan-calendar.com/ancient_tzolkin.html

http://www.starteachastronomy.com/mayan.html

http://www.maya.nmai.si.edu/calendar/calendar-system

http://www.mayan-calendar.com/ancient_haab.html

Bauval, Robert, and Adrian Gilbert. The Orion Mystery: Unlocking the Secrets of the Pyramids. New York: Crown, 1994. Print.

Acknowledgements

EMPACTS Tech Corp - Lee Stidham, 3D design and printing specialist

Webpage – Professor C. Dianne Phillips, EMPACTS Facilitator