[论文解读] Evidence of Minoan astronomy and calendrical practices

Marianna Ridderstad|ArXiv.org|Oct 26, 2009

Historical and Architectural Studies参考文献 26被引用 8

一句话总结

本文提供了证据，表明米诺斯宗教与历法实践深深根植于对太阳、月亮及恒星室女座α星（Spica）的天文观测。通过建筑朝向、如克诺索斯黏土圆盘之类的仪式器物以及象征性艺术，作者证明米诺斯宫殿与天体现象（如春分日出、室女座α星偕日升）相呼应，将这些现象与季节性节日及宗教更新周期联系起来。

ABSTRACT

In Minoan art, symbols for celestial objects were depicted frequently and often in a religious context. The most common were various solar and stellar symbols. The palace of Knossos was amply decorated with these symbols. The rituals performed in Knossos and other Minoan palaces included the alteration of light and darkness, as well as the use of reflection. The Minoan primary goddess was a solar goddess, the 'Minoan Demeter'. A Late Minoan clay disk has been identified as a ritual calendrical object showing the most important celestial cycles, especially the lunar octaeteris. The disk, as well as the Minoan stone kernoi, were probably used in relation to the Minoan festival calendar. The orientations of the central courts of the palaces of Knossos, Phaistos, Mallia and Gournia were to the rising sun, whereas the Eastern palaces Zakros and Petras were oriented to the southernmost and the northernmost risings of the moon, respectively. The E-W axes of the courts of Knossos and Phaistos were oriented to the sunrise five days before the vernal equinox. This orientation is related to the five epagomenal days in the end of a year, which was probably the time of a Minoan festival. One of the orientations of the Knossian Throne Room is towards the heliacal rising of Spica in 2000-1000 BCE. Spica rose heliacally at the time of vintage in Minoan times. The time near the date of the heliacal rising of Spica was the time of an important festival related to ctchonic deities, the Minoan predecessor of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The myths of Minos, Demeter and Persephone probably have an astronomical origin, related to Minoan observations of the periods of the moon, Venus and Spica. These celestial events were related to the idea of renewal, which was central in the Minoan religion.

研究动机与目标

• 调查天文学在米诺斯宗教与历法体系中的作用。
• 分析米诺斯宫殿建筑朝向，以确定其与天体现象的对齐关系。
• 将克诺索斯黏土圆盘等仪式器物解释为反映月相与太阳周期的历法装置。
• 探讨米诺斯神话（涉及米诺斯、得墨忒耳与珀耳塞福涅）的天文学基础。
• 建立天体现象与米诺斯节期（尤其是收获季节与更新仪式）之间的关联。

提出的方法

• 分析米诺斯宫殿中央庭院（克诺索斯、法伊斯塔斯、马利亚、戈尔尼亚、扎克罗、佩特拉斯）相对于日出与月出方位的朝向。
• 将克诺索斯黏土圆盘视为一种仪式历法器物，代表月相八年周期（lunar octaeteris cycle）。
• 利用考古与建筑数据，将仪式实践与天体现象（如室女座α星的偕日升）相关联。
• 将历史星图位置（例如公元前2000至前1000年室女座α星的偕日升）与米诺斯节期时间对照。
• 在宗教与历法语境下，解读米诺斯图像志，尤其是太阳与星辰符号。
• 应用历史天文学，基于天体现象重建米诺斯节期的时间。

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 米诺斯宫殿如何与太阳与月亮等天体对齐？
• RQ2 在克诺索斯发现的晚期米诺斯黏土圆盘在历法或仪式实践中的功能为何？
• RQ3 室女座α星的偕日升在多大程度上与米诺斯宗教节期重合？
• RQ4 米诺斯节期历法的天文周期基础是什么，尤其是五天的‘epagomenal’日？
• RQ5 米诺斯神话（涉及米诺斯、得墨忒耳与珀耳塞福涅）如何可能反映对金星、月相与室女座α星偕日升的观测？

主要发现

• 克诺索斯与法伊斯塔斯宫殿的中央庭院朝向春分日前五日的日出，与米诺斯年尾的五天‘epagomenal’日相一致。
• 扎克罗宫殿朝向最南端的月出，而佩特拉斯宫殿则朝向最北端的月出，表明其整合了月相历法。
• 克诺索斯王座室的一个朝向指向室女座α星的偕日升，该现象在公元前2000至前1000年期间恰逢收获季节。
• 克诺索斯黏土圆盘被解释为象征月相八年的历法装置，表明其对月相有复杂理解。
• 米诺斯主女神‘米诺斯得墨忒耳’实为太阳神，其崇拜与天体周期及季节更新密切相关。
• 米诺斯神话（包括米诺斯、得墨忒耳与珀耳塞福涅的传说）很可能源于对月相、金星周期与室女座α星偕日升的观测，这些现象均与宗教更新仪式紧密相连。