The foundation of astronomical observation is one that remained unchanged in its fundamental method for many thousands of years. From the ancient observatories found in Persia, through the literature of such notables as Hipparchos, and the operation of the El Caracol observatory I wrote about several weeks ago, through to the more portable astrolabe and sextant, it becomes apparent that measuring the positions of the Sun, Moon and stars relied upon the ability to draw a line through a fixed point, similar in manner to the gnomon (or sundial).
In Ancient Egypt, however, the role of the astronomer fell so much into divination that a lifeless device was of use only in a scientific capacity. The astrologer (not to be confused with an astronomer, although they were one and the same in most cultures for many centuries) would instead make the subject of their divination their gnomon. This is not so different from modern horoscopes, in which the constellation relating to the date of your birth is considered to have some power, but is rather more personalised.
This image shows the basic workings of the Egyptian method, as transcribed from the tomb of Rameses VI. In essence, the subject sits in front of the astrologer who uses a plumb line to ensure the subject’s correct orientation according to the appropriate stars. Following that, the relative positions of other stars would inform the astrologer as to the predictions they could make about the subject.
This desire to relate the stars to the people below was not original, even then, but the use of the human form to derive the information desired shows an approach beautifully human in its simplicity.
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