The significance of ancient astronomical observatories in early civilizations

Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument in England, aligns with the summer and winter solstices, used for ceremonial and astronomical purposes, per archaeological studies.

The Maya used El Caracol at Chichen Itza (circa 900 CE) to observe Venus, aligning its windows with the planet’s cycles for rituals, per NASA’s astronomical records.

Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II, used large stone instruments to track stars and planets with high precision, per UNESCO records.

Abu Simbel, built by Ramses II around 1250 BCE, aligns with the sun on February 22 and October 22 to illuminate its inner sanctum, marking royal celebrations, per Egyptology studies.

The Gaocheng Observatory, built during the Yuan Dynasty, used an armillary sphere to refine calendars, aiding agriculture, per Chinese archaeological records.

The Sun Dagger in Chaco Canyon (circa 1000 CE) marked solstices and equinoxes with light patterns, guiding Anasazi rituals and planting, per archaeological findings.

The Etemenanki ziggurat in Babylon (circa 6th century BCE) was used to observe stars for omens and calendars, per cuneiform texts and Herodotus’ accounts.

The Intihuatana stone, carved around 1450 CE, aligned with solstices to mark seasons for agriculture and rituals, per Andean archaeology studies.

The Nebra Sky Disc, a Bronze Age artifact, shows stars, sun, and moon, used for astronomical and ritual purposes, per UNESCO’s Memory of the World.

Polynesian navigators, like those in Hawaii (circa 1000 CE), used star positions observed from platforms to navigate the Pacific, per Polynesian Voyaging Society.