„Encrypted Astronomy” – Astral Mythologies, and Ancient Mexican Studies in Austria, 1910–1945, in: Revista de Antropologia 62/1 (2019), 140-161 (Special Number – German and German-speaking Anthropologists in Brazil) (Universidade de São Paulo) (original) (raw)
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The Ancient Mexican Astronomical Apparatus: An Iconographical Criticism
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It is generally believed that ancient American astronomers made their observations with an instrument consisting of two crossed sticks. This theory is reexamined here and it is shown to be based on an erroneous interpretation of a Mixtec phonetic sign.
The Ancient Mexican Books of Time: interpretive developments and prospects
Analecta Praehistorica Leidensia 43/44, 2012
Time was an important theme in the indigenous civilization of Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America). A prime source for understanding the ancient symbolic associations and related practices is the small corpus of – still quite enigmatic – ancient screenfold manuscripts, nowadays dispersed over libraries and museums in different countries. The central structuring principle of these pictographic and hieroglyphic texts is the pre-colonial calendar, which was not only the dominant framework for historiography and astronomical observations, but was also used for divination, medical treatment, ritual performance, community organization and moral codes. Here we will examine the state of the art in the progress of interpretation and indicate prospects for future research.
The Fifth Sun, with ancient Mexican history and astronomy
This paper offers a brief preliminary new interpretation of early Mexican history, embracing the absolute chronology of the Aztecs before the Spanish Conquest (1519-21). Its full text could clarify some enigmas of their calendar, with emphasis on the question of intercalation, by additional key dates that were recorded in both the Mexican and the Julian calendars. The previous "ages" of both the Aztecs and the Toltecs have been examined: the two lines of traditions and the corresponding intervals differ from each other, indicating different ancestral lands and/or migrations.
[DKM] Codex Telleriano-Remensis [Vol. 2]
Codex Telleriano-Remensis, 2023
This second volume of my English rendering of the Codex Tellerisno-Remensis contains the historical annals of the Aztec Empire from 1197 to 1562. Apart from the intrinsic attraction of its delightful (and sometimes threatening) naive illustrations, its use of Aztec iconography, and its historical details, this volume will be of particular interest to followers of Immanuel Velikovsky's cosmological theories, since it includes the Aztec records of the "smoking star" which he equated to his "Venus comet" of the years 1500-750 BC. But the "star that Smoked" turns out to have been observed in the 16th century AD, not BC, and in fact, not even a star.
Annals of Science, 2021
This article interprets a recently recovered manuscript, Tratado de astronomía y la reformaçión del tiempo, composed by Antonio Sánchez in New Granada c.1696, in the context of the Spanish and Renaissance cosmographies. Sánchez's Tratado proposes a spherical astronomy, in which celestial bodiesincluding cometsmove in orbs containing pyramidal knots that explain the changing speed observed in the motion of planets. From this astronomy and following the peninsular style of repertorios, Sánchez derives two major conclusions: the corrected length of the solar year and a revised birth date of Jesus. Taking as center of reference Vélez, where Sánchez was based, these claims led to conclusions in domains ranging from calendric astronomy to eschatology, including the incorporation of the indigenous peoples into salvation narrative and a demonstration of the arrangement of the celestial orbs at the Last Judgment. Sánchez's Tratado constitutes an expansion of the Spanish mathematical cosmography that sheds light on the production of knowledge in the Spanish-American world and, at the same time, provides elements to reassess our understanding of the global circulation of Renaissance and early modern ideas.
Pasztor,E. 2009. An Archaeologist's Comments on Prehistoric European Astronomy
Complutum, 2009
The study of prehistoric astronomy still has difficulties. Its academic discipline, called archaeoastronomy is still contending for high scientific value. As archaeoastronomy is the study of the astronomical practices, celestial lore, mythologies, religions and world-views of all ancient cultures, results of archaeological research are essential to its investigations. In prehistoric Europe the surveys of the megalithic monuments have enhanced the interest in prehistoric sky and stimulate archaeoastronomical research. The archaeological material remains can always offer novel notions to be developed in order to enrich the general picture of prehistoric astronomy. The purpose of the study is to present case studies on prehistoric sky lore and its impact on societies, in addition to emphasise the essential role of archaeology in archaeoastronomical investigations and interpretations. El estudio de la astronomía prehistórica todavía presenta lgunos problemas. Su disciplina académica, llamada rqueoastronomía, continúa esforzándose por alcanzar una categoría científica alta. Como la arqueostronomía es el estudio de las prácticas stronómicas, las tradiciones sobre los fenómenos celestiales, mitologías, religiones y visiones del mundo de todas las culturas antiguas, los resultados de la investigación arqueológica son esenciales para sus propios trabajos. En la Europa prehistórica los estudios sobre megalitos han fomentado el interés por el cielo durante la Prehistoria y estimulado la investigación arqueoastronómica. Los restos arqueológicos materiales siempre pueden ofrecer nuevas ideas que enriquecen el cuadro general de la astronomía prehistórica. El propósito de este trabajo es presentar casos concretos de tradiciones sobre el cielo prehistórico y su impacto sobre algunas sociedades, además de resaltar el papel esencial de la arqueología en las investigaciones e interpretaciones arqueoastronómicas.