Archeoastronomical Examples

From Persia

Zeinab Shafiee

Outlines

• Why celestial events were important to Persians?

• Examples for Green Archeoastronomy – Astronomical Cuneiform Tablets from

Assyria and Babylonia

• Examples for Brown Archeoastronomy– chartaghis

Map of Persia at its greatest extent in Achaemenid Empire

(550–330 BC)

Astronomical Cuneiform Tablets from Assyria and Babylonia (Mesopotamia)

• Several hundred thousand cuneiform tablets havebeen recovered from archaeological sites

• about 5000 tablets dealing with astronomical observation, prediction, theory and astrology

• The sun, moon, planets, and certain stars and constellations had already been named by

the 3rd millennium BC

Astronomical Cuneiform Tablets from Assyria and Babylonia

An astronomical diary from Babylon containing astronomical records from the last months of year 175 of the Seleucid Era (137–136 BC). Among the observations reported is a detailed account of the total solar eclipse of 15 April 136 BC. BM 45745. © Trustees of the British Museum

Astronomical Cuneiform Tablets from Assyria and Babylonia

A lunar ephemeris from Babylon calculated . The tablet covers the years208–210 of the Seleucid Era (104/103 – 102/101 BC). BM 34580+42690. © Trustees of the British Museum

Chartaghis

Nevis Chartaghi, Tafresh, Iran

Botkhaneh Chartaghi, Atashkouh, IranKhaneh-Div Chartaghi, Khorasan, Iran

Chartaghi of Niasar, Kashan, Iran “Chahar “ or ”Char” 4

“Tagh” Arc

“Chartaghi”Squared-Base Arc

•More than 50 of them are known in Iran

•Age estimation 1500-2000 years

Chartaghi of Niasar Specifications

• Name: Chartaghi Niasar (Squared-Base Arcs).

• Location: Niasar, West of Kashan, Isfahan Province, Iran (250 km from south of Tehran).

• Age: ~2000 years. • Latitude: 33˚ 58.28′ N. • Longitude: 51˚ 08.53′ E.

• Altitude: 1,760 meters. • Altitude of the surrounding plain:

380 meters. Orientation of its plan: 11˚ from true north, eastward.

• Floor area measure: 142 m2. • Height: 10.50 m. • Length and Width: 11.90 m.

Two lines for summer solstice at sunrise. Photography time: Five minutes after sunrise.

SS 2

Chartaghi of Niasar Summer Solstice Sunrise

SS 1

Mountain height on the horizon: 2˚. Photography time: Two minutes after sunrise.

WS

Chartaghi of Niasar Winter Solstice Sunrise

Mountain height on the horizon: 9˚. Photography time: Ten minutes before the sunset.

ST

Chartaghi of Niasar Summer Solstice Sunset

Mountain height on the horizon: 7˚. Photography time: Two minutes before the sunset.

Chartaghi of Niasar Winter Solstice Sunset

Chartaghi of Niasar

• Maragheh observatory is an ancient astronomical observatory

• It was established in 1259 by Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, an Iranian scientist and astronomer

• Located in the heights west of Maragheh, East Azarbaijan province, Iran

It was once considered one of the most prestigious observatories in the world

Some more recent…

Maragheh Observatory 1259 AD by Khajeh Nasir Tusi's group

Maragheh Observatory

Top right: The observatory site before excavation and Bottom Right: ater the first stage of excavationTop right: Model replica of the observatory site

Maragheh Observatory

• Right: The remnants of the mural quadrant, the observatory’s main instrument.

• Left: Auxiliary observational sites close to the main building of the observatory.

Some more recent…

Radkan Tower 1261 AD by Khajeh Nasir Tusi's group

winter solstice sunrise summer solstice sunset

Conclusion• The astronomical heritage from Mesopotamia is a tangible

moveable heritage, namely cuneiform tablets containing astronomical texts

No tangible immovable heritage is known; for example, no buildings have been identified as astronomical observatories or site

• There are also many monuments in the area that their astronomical usage are not recorded, but could be suggested from observation and estimation

• The more recent observatories, towers,… are also available ( probably partly or mostly destroyed) which are well

documented

References• HERITAGE SITES OF ASTRONOMY AND ARCHAEOASTRONOMY IN

THE CONTEXT OF THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION

http://www.astronomicalheritage.org/images/content/astroherit/WHC-internal/ch07.pdf

http://www.astronomicalheritage.org/images/content/astroherit/WHC-internal/ch10cs1.pdf

• http://ghiasabadi.com/chartaghi.html• http://www.jamejamshid.com/radkan.htm