Archaeoastronomy in Action: Hierophonics and Sacred Landscapes
In ancient times, the sky was a connection to the management of power. Many cultures tried to make sense of the cosmos and their own place in it. Like we learned in our previous lectures, the Ancient Egyptians had a Creation Myth which explained the division of sky and earth, as well as gods, the pharaoh, and ordinary humans. Like the Ancient Egyptians, most ancient cultures have myths that explain the origins of the sky, earth, and humans. Another way that ancient humans grappled with understanding the management of power was through space and time. Ancient civilizations made space manageable by dividing it into the four cardinal points or directions. This was linked to the skies as our early ancestors tracked the movements of the sun and moon across the sky; notches on bone made during the Upper Paleolithic period evolved eventually into the concept of calendar time. The calendar made time accessible and relatable to ancient civilizations. Like space, the calendar was directly linked to the natural cycles of the sun and moon, and these cycles, in turn, regulated important natural phenomenons like agriculture and animal migratory patterns in the beginning, and later, rituals and religious ceremonies. In this practical way, early man was able to grasp and conquer the concept of space and time and make order out of the chaos.
Death was another concept that early man had to make understandable. Many Ancient cultures deal with death and what comes afterward. For the Ancient Egyptians, we learned that the pharaoh was considered a living incarnation of the gods on earth. In later dynasties, the pharaoh was considered a divine representative of the gods on earth. His role on earth was to maintain order and balance between the sacred and the physical world. After death, the pharaoh would be ushered into the afterlife and continue his life of power, order, and balance. The afterworld which was achievable to all Egyptians depending on the life they led would thus maintain the same social and religious structure as their life on earth.
The Mayans also placed great importance on astronomy in their everyday life. Astronomy was very important to the Mayans who believed that understanding the cosmos would help them to understand the will and actions of the gods. Much time was devoted to studying and tracking the movement of the sun, moon, and planets across the sky. They became so proficient, they were able to make very accurate predictions about when the solstices, the equinoxes, or eclipses were going to happen. This was essential as significant rituals and ceremonies were held on these specific days for maximum effect. For example, at the Pyramid of Kukulkan in Mexico, Kukulkan, a feathered serpent deity was believed to descend from the heavens to grace his followers twice a year. How was this managed? The construction of the pyramid shows the depth of the Mayan’s understanding of the sun and moon, the stars, and planets. The position of the sun, moon, and planets was also taken into consideration when important events like wars and sacrifices were involved. The Pyramid of Kukulkan (or El Castillo as it was called by the Spanish Conquistadors) was the Mayan’s architectural ode to astronomy and math. Each of the four sides had 91 steps totaling 364 steps. What is the significance of that you may ask? Well, it isn’t, but add the temple on top of the pyramid which is considered the final step and you have 365 steps. This is pretty impressive when you take into account all the other mathematical and astronomical calculations they included into the structure. The entire pyramid was modeled on the Mayan calendar, thus the pyramid’s nine structures
which are separated by staircases on each side represent the 18 months in a Mayan calendar year. The real showstopper is that twice a year, the pyramid creates the illusion that Kukulkan himself has descended on the pyramid during the Autumn and Spring Equinox. This performance so to speak is created by the play of light and shadows three hours before sunset when the setting sun hits the seven triangles next to the staircase. As the sun sets and the shadow moves, one can imagine the crowd’s awe as they witness the great god undulating slowly down the steps. The pomp and gravitas of the ceremony would have taken on even more magical significance with the appearance of the god himself. This exhibition would not only reaffirm Kulkukan’s power and his significance in the natural world to the Mayan people but also reestablish the ruler’s authority and his direct connection to the gods and his mastery over nature.
