World's oldest observatory in China?

10-31-2005, 10:17 AM

World's oldest observatory in China
2005-10-31 Beijing Time
CHINESE archeologists said they have found the world's earliest
observatory, dating back some 4,100 years, in north China's Shanxi
Province.

The ancient observatory in the Taosi relics site in Shanxi is at
least 2,000 years older than the 1,000-year-old observatory built by
the Maya in central America, said He Nu, a researcher with the
Institute of Archeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

He said the observatory, built at the end of the primitive
society, "was not only used to observe astronomical phenomena but
also for sacrificial rites."

The remains of the observatory, in the shape of a semicircle 40
meters in diameter in the main observation platform and 60 meters in
diameter in the outer circle, were made by pounded earth in three
circles.

Archeologists inferred that 13 stone pillars, each at least 4 meters
tall, stood on the foundation of the first circle originally, leaving
12 spaces between them.

"The ancient people observed the direction of sunrise through the
gaps and distinguished the different seasons of the year," said He.

In order to test the conjecture, archeologists spent a year and a
half simulating the observations of the ancients at the site, he
said.

To their surprise, the seasons marked by observation at the site were
only one or two days different from the seasonal division of the
traditional Chinese calendar, which is still widely used in rural
China.

The Taosi relics site is located in Xiangfen County, Linfen City, and
covers 3 million square meters.
Xinhua
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/200...__039_s_oldest
_observatory_in_China.htm
World's Oldest Observatory
Found In China
Press Trust of India
10-31-5

BEIJING -- Chinese archaeologists claim to have discovered the
world's earliest observatory, dating back to some 4,100 years, in
North China's Shanxi province.

The ancient observatory in the Taosi relics site is at least 2,000
years older than the 1,000-year-old observatory built by the Mayans
in Central America, a research fellow with the Institute of
Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, He Nu said.

He said the observatory built at the end of the primitive
society, "was not only used for observing astronomical phenomena but
also for sacrificial rites."

To test the conjecture, archaeologists spent a year and a half
simulating the observations of the findings at the site.
Surprisingly, the seasons marked by their observation are only a few
days different from the seasonal division of the traditional Chinese
calendar.

The Taosi relics site, dated back to 4,300 years ago, is in Xiangfen
county, Linfen city of Shanxi province, and covers an area of 3 m
square metres. It is believed to be a settlement during the period of
the five legendary rulers (2,600 BC-1,600 BC) in Chinese history.

Astronomical observation and the making of calendars is one of the
symbols of the origin of civilisation, according to experts. A
historical document says that China had special officials in charge
of astronomical observation as early as the 24th century BC. The
discovery of the ancient observatory in Taosi confirmed the records,
the report said.

Meanwhile, experts have urged the government to make plans to
conserve the ancient observatory.