Subject: Re: [HM] Indian astronomy and mathematics
From: Milo Gardner (milo.gardner@24stex.com)
Date: Wed Feb 16 2000 - 15:29:43 EST
Subject: Thank you Kim and Dinesh, excellent points
Kim's citation of The Journal for the History of Astronomy, Pingree
and Neugebauer may be of interest to Dinesh. Having read this
journal, and reading its back issues, Pingree and Neugebauer
'debated' for 17 years. I use the word 'debate' advisedly,
since Neugebauer 'forced' Pingree to issue a 'public apolopy'
on a point that Neugebauer had to retract in 1989.
Neugebauer had taken a pro-Hellene position, one base on
'feelings' and NOT fact, and therefore a 1989 acceptance
of Pingree's 1972 point was finally submitted.
The specifics of the debate may be important to review on
an archaeoastrononomy listserver; however, here in the
history of mathematicas the points is cited to shows that
1920's scholars like Neugebauer, when he received his
PHD, often did not change their early views for a time-line.
Facts from all available sources, particularly written documentation
and ancient machines, like water clocks, should be researched
closely.
Kim, could you amply on your sources that conclude a 1350 BC
date for a Vedic sidereal calendar based on water clock measurements
is too early? 1600 BC would be too early,
iff Egyptians and Babylonians first used various classes of
water clock (some of which I have not seen).
What I have seen is hundreds of sundials, with a majority
found in India.
Is anyone interested in discussion star clocks, be they solar
or sidereal used in the ancient ANE and India?
As I read the historical record, Dinesh's 1350 BC suggestion
for the use of a sidereal calendar is logical, and well outlines.
I could someday see the date pushed back to 1450 BC, but probably
not much more. Dinesh 's 1/6th of a degree reading of the sky became
ONLY available during the time that telescopes appears, after 1600 AD
(as I read the history). As a counter example to the 1/6th of a
degree suggestion, 10-15 minutes of accuracy is the best that I have
read than ancients took single 'readings's of solar and sidereal star
clocks. Improved accuracies, needed for longitude
computations (after Eratosthenes conducted his 'well experiment)
had to wait for the telescope.
Regards to all,
Milo Gardner
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