Chinese archaeologists have announced the discovery of the world’s first observatory, dating back 4,100 years, in the northern region of Shanxi Province.
This ancient observatory, located at the Taosi archaeological site in Shanxi, predates the previously known oldest observatory in the Maya civilization of Central America.
He Nu, a researcher at the Chinese Archaeological Institute, stated that this observatory was constructed at the end of the primitive social period, serving not only for observing astronomical phenomena but also for conducting sacrificial rituals.
The remaining traces of the observatory include a semicircular structure with a diameter of 40 meters, which serves as the main observation platform, and an outer circle with a diameter of 60 meters. There are 13 stone pillars, each at least 4 meters high, standing on the foundation of the inner circle, creating 12 gaps in between.
“The ancients observed the direction of the rising sun through these gaps and distinguished the seasons of the year,” He noted.
To test this hypothesis, archaeologists spent a year and a half simulating the observations of ancient people in the area. Surprisingly, the seasons determined from these observations only differed by 1-2 days compared to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, which is still widely used in rural areas today.
The Taosi site, which dates back 4,300 years, is located in Linfen City, Shanxi Province, and spans an area of 3 million square meters. This site is believed to have been the settlement of five famous dynasties in Chinese history (2600 – 1600 BC).
Historical texts indicate that China had officials responsible for astronomical observations as early as the 24th century BC. The discovery of the observatory at Taosi further confirms this historical account.
M.T. (according to Xinhua News Agency)