Thursday, October 23, 2003

Astronomical Surface Decoration on Ceramics, Ancient Egypt, part I The Ancient Egyptians use of astronomy is well known. They were making catalogs of the universe, including constellations, by 1100 BC, they were aligning the pyramids to the stars, and used them in creating their calendars. (Sara Moldaschel) Egyptians worshiped certain gods which were represented in astronomical bodies. The Milky Way the goddess Nut, the sun, the god Ra, the Moon the god Thoth and Orion, the god Osiris. (Leslie Welser) Thus I expect to find decorations representing gods, that may also be astronomical. I also understand that some uses of astronomical bodies will be to represent power or divinity, and not a more cosmological reference. Oh, Ancient Egypt also had pottery. 10:02:38 PM