Constellations Thesis Book by Nesrin Zidan

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The foundations of science start
with magical thinking. The introduction
of this field of science is credited to some
of the most influential civilizations around
the world, especially in the Middle East
(Gleiser, 2022).
The role astronomy played in
different cultures around the world, impressively
so in neolithic societies is fascinating.
Astronomy, or its primitive origin,
regular celestial observations, were
significant to our ancestors in its central
role in keeping track of the passing of the
seasons. They developed a clever criterion
that proved functional and reliable in
a time way before smartphones and the
highly detailed and meticulous maps of
today. With those astronomical observations,
sailors, and travelers, could mark
relevant locations and navigate their way
through the vast and new world. The application
of this data was not only limited
to calendars, but also agriculture.
Astronomical data influenced the
development of agriculture since farmers
could better predict and determine the
best time of the year to plant or harvest,
which helped cultivate more independent
civilizations (agricultural revolution) (The
History of Astronomy: A Timeline, 2019).
It is difficult to pinpoint when the
first constellations were sighted and recorded.
According to archaeological remains,
researchers were able to identify
possible astronomical carvings/ markings
illustrated on the cave walls at Lascaux
and Niaux in southern France. The Greater
Cursus at Stonehenge is another example.
It is a 3-kilometer structure that was
built to predict astronomical events such
as eclipses, solstices, and the lunar cycle
(North, 2010). However, it could be approximated
that our ancestors might have
documented some of their sightings, of
the starry night, on the walls of their caves,
around 17,300 years ago. Could their
first-ever portrayal of star arrangements
date back to over seventeen millennia ago?
(Rappenglück, 1996).
Moreover, our knowledge of the
constellations, tells us that more than half
of the 88 constellations, recognized by the
International Astronomical Union (IAU),
today, are credited to the age of antiquity
in Greece, which based their work on
earlier observations and data from the ancient
Babylonians, ancient Egyptians, and
Assyrians (The Constellations).