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Ancient Astronomy Timeline

  • 3000 BCE

    Ancient Egyptian

    Egyptians used the stars to create one of the first solar calendars.
  • 2800 BCE

    Ancient Egyptians

    Built the pyramids aligned with certain stars, like Orion’s Belt.
  • 2500 BCE

    Ancient Egyptians

    Used Sirius’s rising to predict the Nile River flooding.
  • 2000 BCE

    Ancient Egyptians

    Tracked day and night cycles using sundials.
  • 1799 BCE

    Ancient Egyptians

    Created star clocks painted inside tombs to track hours at night.
  • 1500 BCE

    Ancient Egyptians

    Studied the movements of planets and called them “stars that know no rest.”
  • 1000 BCE

    Ancient Egyptians

    Linked astronomy with reglion, believing gods controlled the sky.
  • 500 BCE

    Ancient Mayans

    Built observatories like El Caracol to watch the stars and planets.
  • 400 BCE

    Ancient Mayans

    Created the Mayan calendar based on the Sun, Moon, and Venus cycles
  • 300 BCE

    Ancient Mayans

    Recorded eclipses and planetary motions for rituals and farming.
  • 100

    Ancient Mayans

    Used Venus’s movements to plan wars and ceremonies.
  • 400

    Ancient Mayans

    Mapped the Milky Way, calling it the “World Tree” in their myths.
  • 600

    Ancient Mayans

    Designed temples that align with the Sun during solstices.
  • 900

    Ancient Mayans

    Used astronomical calculations to organize their cities and crops.