Abstract
A SMALL collection of papers recently published in Meddelande Fran Lunds Astronomiska Observatorium makes an interesting contribution to the study of the early history of astronomy. In an article entitled “Greek Cosmogony and Astronomy”, Dr. K. Lund-mark briefly traces the development of Greek astronomy from the first indications of some primitive astronomical knowledge found in the Homeric poems and in the work of Hesiod to the great work of the Alexandrine astronomers and mathematicians, culminating in the production of the “Almagest” in the second century A.D. A very useful synopsis for rapid reference is included of Greek astronomers and their contributions to astronomical ideas and observation. In another paper, P. Collinder studies the distribution of the birthplaces of the astronomers of antiquity. He remarks that the Hellenic peninsula itself produced but few in contrast with the west coast of Asia Minor, with Alexandria and the coast of southern Italy. It was, in fact, in the great merchant and shipping towns of these latter localities where the Greeks would best receive the importation of astronomical knowledge from the Babylonians, Egyptians and Phoenicians. A further contribution by B. Svenonius describes his examination of certain rock sculptures found in Ostrogothie, Sweden. These engravings, which may date from the bronze age, include amongst the representations of men, animals, ships and primitive weapons, groupings of small cavities, which it is agreed represent groupings of the bright stars into constellations. M. Svenonius identifies the following constellations: the Great Bear, Cassiopeia, Perseus, Cepheus, Auriga, Orion and Leo. An examination by earlier Swedish investigators of similar rocks found in Bohuslan leads to the same general conclusion that the forms of several easily recognizable constellations were copied by some of the prehistoric watchers of the skies. In a supplementary note, A. Ohlmarks contributes remarks on these rock engravings and their relation to the history of early religious beliefs.
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Studies in Ancient Astronomy. Nature 141, 29 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/141029a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/141029a0