Books > Science & Mathematics > Astronomy, space & time > Cosmology & the universe
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Early Man and the Cosmos (Paperback, New edition)
Loot Price: R776
Discovery Miles 7 760
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Early Man and the Cosmos (Paperback, New edition)
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To a degree incomprehensible to the modern mind, skywatchers of the
ancient past found the night sky a source of wonder and mystery. As
Evan Hadingham so brilliantly demonstrates in his latest book, they
found the skies an enormous challenge as well. These ancient
astronomers met the challenge by devising techniques with which
they could predict, often with astounding precision, the cycles and
eclipses of the sun, moon and planets as they passed across the
heavens. With these skills - and with the visions of the universe
they created as a framework for their observations - early
astronomers were able to address both the everyday and spiritual
needs of their people. At times, some of them may have used their
arcane craft to wield vast religious and political power over their
fellow men. Drawing on the latest findings of archeologists and
modern astronomers, Hadingham explores the ample evidence of the
ingenuity of the early astronomers: the ziggurats of Babylon (the
Tower of Babel); Egypt's pyramids; Stonehenge and other megalithic
arrays in Great Britain, and the enigmatic 360-ton fallen megalith,
the Fairy Stone in Brittany. Moving from the Old World to the New,
Hadingham illuminates recent discoveries of the American Southwest:
the Chumash cave art of California; sun-dagger solar devices of New
Mexico; and the intriguing alignments of twelfth-century pueblos,
near which early astronomers still practice a form of their ancient
art today. Particular attention is given the extraordinary current
studies of the temples and cosmologies of the Maya, whose ancient
priests compiled books of lunar cycles so accurate that their error
is only two hours every five centuries. Wherever they worked,
Hadingham points out, the ancient astronomers evolved a unifying
vision of their universe, through which they provided a myth
explaining the natural and supernatural order of things. Often
overseen by a pantheon of super beings that bolstered the powers of
earthly kings and priests, these celestial visions helped to order
such matters as planting and irrigation and to maintain calendars
for the affairs of men. Most importantly, the visions inspired
great ceremonies that celebrated life on earth and life hereafter.
Early Man and the Cosmos is a fascinating study of man's perception
of the universe that illuminates our understanding not only of
ancient man but also of ourselves.
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