Session 8 – ORALS

Astronomical observations in Amerindian cultures have been documented through innumerable archaeological remains, both architectural and documentary; however, little is known about the astronomical heritage of pre-Hispanic societies in Venezuela. The ancient ethnology of Venezuela has been studied mainly through its linguistic and folk legacy; and the associated material culture that is preserved is mainly remains of pottery and samples of rock art; hindering its understanding, evolution and even unknown the precise chronology of the settlement. There are innumerable deposits of petroglyphs in almost all regions of Venezuela, especially in the vicinity of Lake Valencia (Edo Carabobo), Arawaicoide culture, and those of the Andean foothills (Edo Barinas), Arauquinoid culture. Venezuelan petroglyphs are engraved in low relief on erratic blocks naturally outcropping or on rocks arranged in their natural dip slope. They were performed by percussion and rubbing, and lack pigmentation. They represent zoomorphic figures along with many geometric figures of coupled points, concentric circles, spirals, and few anthropomorphic representations. Its meaning, motivation and precise dating is unknown, beyond the free interpretation about its contents, unrelated to the material culture of the ethnic groups that created it, mainly due to the absence of other evidence that allows its interpretation and dating. The rupestral stations and the surrounding areas, of Virginia (Edo Carabobo) and Bum Bum (Edo. Barinas) are studied. The analysis of the techniques used, the figurative and stylistic characteristics suggests in both cases, a society in close dependence of the individual on nature, in whose tribal organization, of an egalitarian nature, the shaman would have an important role as a man-nature mediator, and the woman as a symbol of the reproduction of the human work force, showing the priority of the world of nature over the world of culture. By means of computerized simulation and arquoastronomical techniques, the occurrence of a total eclipse of the Sun at midday of 577 July 1 at the Vigirima archaeological site is evidenced; and another total Eclipse of the Sun at noon on 1398 May 16 at the archaeological site of Bum Bum; allowing to interpret at a figurative level the abstract symbology of the glyphs, their motivation and precise dating. It is concluded that the contemplation of the total eclipses of Sun, must lead to the need of communication and registry, employing the techniques and means at their disposal: the engraved rocks. A phenomenon so unique and spectacular as a solar eclipse happened at noon, had to have a mark on the collective memory and shamanic practices associated with the myth of creation. Archaeoastronomical dating is in accordance with the ancient ethnology of Venezuela for the ancient groups of the Arawaicoides (Vigirima) and Arauquinoides (Bum Bum). Key Words: Archaeoastronomy: Total Solar Eclipses, Venezuelan petroglyphs.

Prasat Hin Phnom Rung, located in Buriram Province of Thailand, is an ancient temple that had been built between the 10th – 13th centuries. In the process of a major anastylosis restoration in 1971, the temple, which is off east-west orientation by 5.5 degree towards north, has unveiled the astonishing phenomena exhibiting both astronomical and architectural intellect of the ancient builders. The phenomena involves perfect quarterly-alignments of the sun through all the fifteen doorways of the Phnom Rung temple: during April 3rd – 5th and September 7th – 9th for sunrises; and during March 5th – 7th and October 5th – 7th for sunsets. The phenomenal orientation of this ancient architecture has been elucidated by several scholars – including historians, archeologists, and astronomers – that it might be related to solar or lunar events only. However, our studies of over a decade have otherwise found a clue to this mystery that it must be based on how the ancient intelligence used stars in the zodiacal constellations to regulate agricultural calendars. Those stars including Spica, Regulus, Aldebaran, Antares, and Pleiades were used by ancient Chinese, Greek, and Indian. We, therefore, have investigated for a star that the ancient Khmers used to synchronize their calendar with agricultural seasons. In this study, we find that Phnom Rung was oriented with respect to Spica such that the day Spica set on the west-side doorway at dawn would be called the Thaloeng Sok Day or the New Year’s Day. The Thaloeng Sok Day in which this bright star marked was equivalent to the First Point of Aries. Furthermore, we have found the relationship between Spica and the new/full moon of Caitra from which the intercalary month-year (Adhikamas) were detected. However, due to the precession of equinox, the relative orientation of Spica to the temple has slowly changed over time.

Astronomy in the Andes was well developed by the time the Spaniards arrived in the Inca empire. This was due in large to the accumulation of knowledge through observations made by the many civilizations preceding the Incas. Astronomy was not simply observing and understanding celestial movement, however, as it was integrally woven into the very fabric of Andean existence throughout myth, cosmology, and culture, playing an important role in daily life.
The Incas were a Sun-worshipping people and their emperor was said to be “the son of the Sun.” Their cosmology begins with the primordial rising of the Sun, and also that of the Moon. In their astronomy they were aware of many stars and planets and paid particular attention to the Milky Way and the Pleiades. In a practical sense this knowledge was put to work via horizon astronomy as the Incas marked the passage of sunrises and sunsets on their horizons in order to keep time for agriculture and religion. Ultimately, celestial alignments and effects of light and shadow were integrated into their temples and huacas, as well as with other constructs such as solar pillars built more specifically for astronomical purposes.
Cultural astronomy is an exciting inspiration for astronomy education. This presentation will explore several aspects of the fascinating astronomy of the Inca empire.

Armenian astronomical archives have accumulated vast number of photographic plates, films and other careers of observational data. The Digitized Markarian Survey or the First Byurakan Survey (DFBS (https://www.aras.am//Dfbs/dfbs.html), is the most important low-dispersion spectroscopic database. It is one of the rare science items included in UNESCO “Memory of the World” Documentary Heritage list. The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) Plate Archive Project (2015-2021; https://www.aras.am/PlateArchive/eng/index.php) will result in digitization and storage of some 37,000 astronomical plates and films and in creation of an Electronic Database and Interactive Sky Map for further research projects. Based on these data and archives and development of their interoperability, the Armenian Virtual Observatory (ArVO; https://www.aras.am//Arvo/arvo.htm) was created and joined the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA). BAO has also joined International Council of Science (ICS) World Data System (WDS) as an associated member. All this serves as the Armenian contribution to the development of Big Data coming from the Universe.

The Cultural Astronomy is a theoretical proposal to do social research in the context of the cultural production, and the relationships with the heritage as a vision of the world and the universe. Astronomical knowledge is spread in many quit different forms and representations outside of the merely academic spaces, in this talk we recover some of them in the case of Guadalajara, México that is necessary tours in and around the city to look various elements and to go into museums where different artistic objects and canvas from centuries XIX and XX for example, poems and articles in newspapers or the movies corresponding to Mexican golden era (ages 1950) whit songs, narratives secuencies, legends; we recover the Mexicans vision on astronomical knowledge and put attention how it constitutes another form of heritage.

The cult of the mountains, the wind and the request for “good rain” constitute today, the fusion of pre-Hispanic religious beliefs and meteorological knowledge in the agricultural development of central Mexico. Understanding this cult of the earth, from an indigenous perspective, led by certain specialists who have extensive knowledge of the landscape and meteorology, called Tiemperos, is a fundamental and necessary feature for the development of atmospheric sciences and the inclusion of rural villages in environmental research, carried out in certain areas of Mexico.
Understanding the world in which these specialists are inserted is complex if one does not have a joint vision of the ethnographic data and the social relevance that the Tiemperos have on the communities. During 2018 I carried out an investigation on the request of rain and “good weather” rituals that are carried out year after year in certain areas of central Mexico. From that initiative I developed an educational model and a prototype weather station that could be designed, built and adapted to the needs of each community, considering the traditions and teachings of the local Tiempero. Making use of microcontrollers, basic electronics, and a traditional indigenous technique, each station was built and designed with the people of the community where it would be installed, with the idea of ​​involving and enriching scientific meteorological knowledge, which could be useful for each community. The project, still in development, included meteorological stations designed by me and built by the communities, a series of educational exercises for children involved in the project and the proposal of a “good weather” ritual using the data collected by the meteorological stations, with the intention of using technology and science-based information with traditional indigenous practices giving way to new forms of research and inclusion of science in remote communities in Mexico.