ancient sun worship

[jfl]

Why did ancient societies around the world devote so much time and resources tracking the sun? I understand the idea of the sun being the giver of life, thus the various sun-gods in the ancient world. But why spend so much time and effort building elaborate observatories (assuming that this is what things like Stonehenge really were) to track something that is constant? Once you had counted the days from one solstice to the next a few times, why wouldn’t you just conclude that solstices are regular things and move on?

 

[Dream]

Some people just like to be clever. If it were me, I'd not have come up with the sundial. Some people though would. They'd get a stick and some chalk and then start 'Studying' and finally get some wealthy people interested in their little game. Suddenly they've got money, etc; and now they are very interested in studying the movements of the sun and in getting the wealthy interested in the movements of the sun. Its just one theory.

 

[wil]

Namaste jfl,

Seems the atomic clocks and the nano seconds are still studied today.

Btw, this is a discussion forum. A place where we postulate a thought and then discuss it amongst members. Not a place where we post quizzes that we think we know the answer to and try to dig holes to catch other folks in. We dig our own holes when required, we don't need others help.

 

[jfl]

Namaste jfl,

Seems the atomic clocks and the nano seconds are still studied today.

Btw, this is a discussion forum. A place where we postulate a thought and then discuss it amongst members. Not a place where we post quizzes that we think we know the answer to and try to dig holes to catch other folks in. We dig our own holes when required, we don't need others help.

Go to Hell.

 

[Avi]

Go to Hell.

Hi Jfl, this is an interfaith site, so can you please explain what hell means to you..... D) !!

 

[seattlegal]

Namaste jfl,

Seems the atomic clocks and the nano seconds are still studied today.

Btw, this is a discussion forum. A place where we postulate a thought and then discuss it amongst members. Not a place where we post quizzes that we think we know the answer to and try to dig holes to catch other folks in. We dig our own holes when required, we don't need others help.

Welcome to IO, jfl. I see you have already acquainted yourself with wil, one of our moderators.

Go to Hell.

I see how you are catching on quickly regarding digging your own holes.

Why did ancient societies around the world devote so much time and resources tracking the sun? I understand the idea of the sun being the giver of life, thus the various sun-gods in the ancient world. But why spend so much time and effort building elaborate observatories (assuming that this is what things like Stonehenge really were) to track something that is constant? Once you had counted the days from one solstice to the next a few times, why wouldn’t you just conclude that solstices are regular things and move on?

Oh, you mean like, "Nothing here to see folks, move along..."

 

[wil]

Go to Hell.

Namaste jfl,

Surely after you answer avi's inquiry, you'll provide directions...
But golly day, with that kind of skill of identifying and pushing someone's buttons, as a kid I should have been great at pin the tail on the donkey.

Guess I just got better with practice.

 

[nativeastral]

Why did ancient societies around the world devote so much time and resources tracking the sun? I understand the idea of the sun being the giver of life, thus the various sun-gods in the ancient world. But why spend so much time and effort building elaborate observatories (assuming that this is what things like Stonehenge really were) to track something that is constant? Once you had counted the days from one solstice to the next a few times, why wouldn’t you just conclude that solstices are regular things and move on?

well as you say thats an assumption and even if that is the case another likely assumption is that it wasnt purely for theoretical reasons but for practical knowledge as well at that time coupled with with meaningful ie spiritual significance. Personally l find such sculptures in the environment deeply moving, sun and stone geometrically placed human creativity joining earth and heaven, make no bones about it, the bones need the sun primordially speaking. also a great place for a regular song and dance, which all is what all sun worshippers do with he art!

 

[jfl]

Welcome to IO, jfl. I see you have already acquainted yourself with wil, one of our moderators.

It figures. He’s just running his mouth to cause an argument. Back in the old days- before the internet, moderators used to be called bullies.

 

[jfl]

well as you say thats an assumption and even if that is the case another likely assumption is that it wasnt purely for theoretical reasons but for practical knowledge as well at that time coupled with with meaningful ie spiritual significance. Personally l find such sculptures in the environment deeply moving, sun and stone geometrically placed human creativity joining earth and heaven, make no bones about it, the bones need the sun primordially speaking. also a great place for a regular song and dance, which all is what all sun worshippers do with he art!

Once you know how long the solar year is- something you could determine with a simply sundial, i.e., count the number of days between any two days with the shortest shadow and you know when the day with the shortest shadow will always be- assuming that the number of days in the solar year never changes meaning you are assuming that the earth has always had the same axial tilt, the same orbital path around the sun and the same speed of rotation on its axis.

My purpose here is to introduce a discussion of Immanuel Velikovsky’s Worlds in Collision by getting people’s views without letting those views be filtered through anyone’s pre-existing Velikovskian bias.

 

[jfl]

Namaste jfl,

Surely after you answer avi's inquiry, you'll provide directions...
But golly day, with that kind of skill of identifying and pushing someone's buttons, as a kid I should have been great at pin the tail on the donkey.

Guess I just got better with practice.

It isn’t necessary to provide directions. Sinful man will never have any trouble finding the place.

 

[shawn]

Well, you seem to be off to a rough start there little j.
wil's comment was fair and informative.
IMO you need to grow some thicker skin.

 

[iBrian]

The sun is a key part in agricultural societies not least because the movements of the sun are a key indicator on profound issues such as planting and harvest. It is not simply the case that the sun is seen to rise each day, as the sun goes through a solar cycle that includes different lines of position across the sky according to the season.

I'm not sure why you bring Velikovsky into this, though - he postulated that Venus had nearly collided with earth, and used Biblical accounts to "prove" his hypothesis, and doesn't really seem to hav anything to do with the original question.

You're comments appear almost random, and you've certainly started on the wrong foot here.

I recommend you reconsider your attitude towards others, and we start again, as you've turned this discussion thread into a discussion of you.

Thread closed, and if you have any serious discussion topics you would like to start, without immediately jumping down the throats of other members, you are welcome to start a new thread.