Egyptian Astronomy
 Tutankhamun Mask |
Our primary focus is on the astral traditions attested in the Pyramid Texts, the oldest body of religious texts to survive from antiquity. As is evident from the extensive literature on the subject, the identification of the various celestial bodies described in the Pyramid Texts is subject to much controversy. Authorities rarely agree on the identifications in question, and where agreement is found there are grave problems with the solutions proposed.
There are several reasons for this situation, including the obscurity of the language employed in the texts themselves and the fact that at the time the Pyramid Texts were composed astronomy itself did not yet exist as a science. Thus systematic observations and scientifically rigorous descriptions of the various celestial bodies and constellations are not to be found.
In order to achieve a satisfactory understanding of the Egyptian traditions, it is instructive to compare them with the astral traditions from Mesopotamia and elsewhere. Cross-cultural comparisons of this sort reveal common patterns and thus point towards more reliable identifications. It is our opinion that the patterns in question are most logically explained as resulting from common astronomical observations.
It is our opinion that a proper understanding of the astral traditions in the Pyramid Texts will contribute greatly to our understanding of Egyptian religion as well as archaeoastronomy in general.
Comments and criticisms are welcome and should be addressed to Ev Cochrane. For a detailed analysis of the Egyptian astral traditions, click on the following links:
Horus' Star (PDF) 
Hathor's
Star: The Planet Venus in Egyptian religion (PDF) .