Astronomy and Catastrophes Through Myth and Old Texts

Mem. S.A.It. Suppl. Vol. 15, 219 Memorie della c SAIt 2010 Supplementi

Astronomy and catastrophes through myth and old texts

E. Bon1, M. Cirkovi´ c´1, Igor Stojic´2, and Natasaˇ Gavrilovic´1

1 Astronomical Observatory, Volgina7, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia; e-mail: [email protected] 2 The Institute of History, Kneza Mihajla 36/II, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract. In the old myths and iconographies there are some motives that indicate at least one cataclysmic event that inﬂuenced many old religions and myths, that could be linked to the impact of the celestial object. We investigate the hypothesis of coherent catastrophism put forward in recent years by Clube, Bailey, Napier and others from both astrobiological and culturogical points of view. The conventional idea that the quasi-periodic break-up of celestial bodies inﬂuence terrestrial conditions can today be placed in both wider (astrobiological) and deeper (historico-culturological) context. In particular, we point out that the link between the Neolithic history of astronomy, and origin of Mithraism. We speculate that the main icon of Mithraic religion could pinpoint an event that happened around 4000 BC, when the spring equinox entered the constellation of Taurus. We also, link some motives in other old religions and myths to the same event, or to some similar events that inspired those myths.

Key words. archaeo-astronomy – history and philosophy of astronomy – Earth: general

1. Introduction never had strong roots in astronomy and astro- In assessing the importance of archaeological physics (which, one is tempted to speculate, information for our understanding of the inter- contributed to spectacular progress of these action of Earth with small Solar System bod- fields), gradualism reigned supreme in Earth ies, notably comets, asteroids and dust par- sciences for about a century and half, and con- ticles, we need to take into account impor- tinues to heavily influence contemporary re- tant developments which occurred over the search in these fields. This was manifested, for last quarter of century not only on purely fac- instance, in all debates related to by now well- tographical, but even more on the epistemo- confirmed Alvarez hypothesis for catastrophic logical and methodological level. Perhaps the extinction of dinosaurs and many other species most important such development has been the at the K/T boundary; it is not necessary to men- dismantling of gradualism (or uniformitarian- tion other recent catastrophe related discover- ism) an obsolete XIX century doctrine sug- ies like the Snowball Earth episodes, etc. (e.g. gesting that no process occurring in the past Ager 1993; Huggett 1998; Palmer 2003) was either qualitatively or quantitatively dif- Gradualism, parenthetically, has not shone ferent from its present-day state. Although it as a brilliant guiding principle in astrophysics and cosmology. It is well-known, for in- Send offprint requests to: E. Bon stance, how the strictly gradualist (and from 220 Bon: Astronomy and catastrophes through myth and old texts many points of view methodologically supe- search is the coherent catastrophism developed rior) steady-state theory of the universe of by Clube, Napier, Bailey, Asher, Steel, and oth- Bondi & Gold (1948), as well as Hoyle, has ers (Clube & Napier 1984, 1990; Steel 1993). after the ”great controversy” of 1950s and In brief, it suggests quasi-periodic decays of early 1960s succumbed to the rival evolution- giant comets as the major source of Earth- ary models, now known as the standard (”Big impacting objects at various scales in both deep Bang”) cosmology Kragh (1996). Balashov geological and historical times. While we can- (1994) has especially stressed this aspect of the not enter technical details here, it is important controversy by showing how deeply justified to mention that one of the important predic- was the introduction by the Big Bang cosmol- tions (or retrodictions, as it turns out) of the ogists of events and epochs never seen or ex- coherent catastrophic theory is recurrent activ- perienced. Similar arguments are applicable in ity connected with the break-up of the comet archaeoastronomy, which might be considered Encke progenitor and several associated me- to be in an analogous immature state today as teor streams and meteoroid swarms, notably cosmology was half a century ago. Taurid and Beta Taurid streams (which Earth Therefore, we propose to set up a stricter crosses between November 3 and 15, and June methodological approach to the relevant ar- 24-July 6). Before suggesting case studies to chaeoastronomical data; in particular, we need illuminate possible consilience of some of the to look at possible catastrophic explanations mythological and archaeological data with this without rosy-tinted glasses of gradualism, and hypothesis, we make an important caveat. to assess the evidence accordingly; reevalu- It is easy to see intuitively how observa- ate the evidence according to general episte- tion selection effects prevent us from justifi- mological notions of falsifiability, scope, sim- ably use past history of Earth and humanity as plicity, etc., instead of succumbing to the pre- a straightforward yardstick for estimating the conceived ideas of limits to what is conceivable catastrophic threats. All our observations are or not; follow a wider culturological tendency made under the unique limiting condition: that to relinquish the notion of a closed-box sys- they were not preceded (scale-dependently) tem when investigating history of Earth (both by extinction-level or other large catastrophes generally and in historical times) in favor of perturbing physical, chemical, and other pre- open complex systems; take into account sys- conditions for our existence as intelligent ob- tematic biases and observation selection effects servers in a given epoch. Quite clearly, we Bostrom (2002). cannot observe traces of K/T level mass- In this contribution, we would like not only extinction impact during the Pleistocene, since to argue for a future research program aimed it would certainly destroy our hominid an- at a particular set of puzzles in the history of cestors and prevent us from appearing in the religious and mythological thought, of which first place. Modern Bayesian epistemology some case studies are briefly discussed below, (as quantified, e.g., by the observation equa- but also to suggest that these (and other re- tion of Bostrom (2002)) gives us a superb lated) guidelines can provide us with a fuller methodological tool for numerically estimat- and more salutary understanding of more gen- ing for how much do we overestimate our fu- eral issues pertaining to the cosmic context of ture prospects on the basis of the historical the Earth as well as to the essential unity of record so far. Mutatis mutandis, this applies knowledge. to any particular epoch in recent (i.e. human- recorded) history. Unfortunately, the relevant calculations have not been performed in the lit- 2. Coherent catastrophism and erature so far. consequences for Many different myths from different parts archaeoastronomy of the world use the same motives, like fire An astronomical theory which offers a signif- from the skies, followed by or accompanied icant motivation for archaeoastronomical re- with the rain of fire from the sky, making a Bon: Astronomy and catastrophes through myth and old texts 221 disaster after which the Sun do not rise for such event happened at least as early as the several days, weeks or months, and tsunamis third millennium BC. or deluges, that flood everything right af- Without the direct physical evidence left ter, and make extinctions, after which fol- behind by such an event (e.g., an impact crater) lows new creation of the world, are often used it is very hard to locate in time such a catas- in many myths of creation. Those motives trophic event. An alternative possibility is to imply to the same type of event (or to the do an astronomical dating, by using the icons same or related event), that could be explained or sacred texts, than could reveal some special as events that accompany falling of celestial positions of the sky that cold be re-dated. (cometary) body to the Earth. Such motives Also, nearly all religions had at least some are present in the myths of Phaethon, Typhon motives in iconography or sacred texts con- (in Greek myths), Marduk (epic of Gilgamesh), nected to large celestial bodies and constella- Quetzalcoatl (Mesoamerica), St. Elias, Lucifer tions. That could reveal some positions on the (in Christianity)... In more recent myths or re- skies that would be recognizable for only spe- ligions, there are more detailed interpretations cial times in history. One such religion was of such event, or icons that contain comet rep- Mithraism that was spread from Asia Minor resentation or for e.g. fire chariot, or fire arrow to the Europe in about second to first cen- or lighting. All such representation are associ- tury BC. The iconography that had been left ated with the stories or a myths that could be behind contained strange choice of constella- connected with events of celestial impacts and tions, depicted in the scene of the creation. catastrophes. Often, supernatural creatures are All constellations presented this scene, could associated with these stories, like some kind of be lined in the sky (see Fig. 1) as the posi- snake-like fiery creatures, dragons, or similar tion of the celestial equator of about 4000 BC elongated shaped forms at the sky. Also, many Bon et al. (2002). The constellations that were of flood myths and stories of world creation represented on the main icon of the Mithraism contain these kind of representation. In stud- (see Fig. 2) were Taurus (bull), Canis Minor dies of Bruce Masse (Masse 2007; Carney (the dog), Hydra (the serpent), Corvus (the 2007), who analyzed 175 flood myth, indicat- crow), Leo (the lion), Crater (the cup), Gemini ing many details that are connected with celes- (the torch bearers) and Scorpius (the scorpion). tial impact. In these studdies the author clam Mithra was represented with the constellation that there had to be at least one global impact of Perseus, so the Mithra was position to be event, that is possibly 4800 years old sitting on the Celestial Bull (Taurus), trying to There were substantial body of evidences stab the knife into the Bull at the place where that celestial catastrophes influenced old reli- the Pleiades are positioned. The scene of cre- gions and myths. In most cases the scenes of ation was presenting the God Mithra sacrific- creation of the world was presented with mo- ing the celestial Bull, from which blood came tives of celestial body falling from the sky, out and made the flooding, that enabled life on or with catastrophic events that followed. It is earth. After the bull slaying, Mithra went in the certain that such events happened many times fire chariot with God Helios back to the sky in human history and left deep traces in cul- (Ulansey 1989). ture and religions of Asia Minor, Europe and For some reason, this scene was sometimes North-West Africa, but they are hard to lo- depicted together with the representation of cate in time. Since, the early religions con- Phaethon myth. This myth contains clear mo- tained scenes that could be linked to the celes- tives of the description of celestial body im- tial body fallen from the sky and catastrophic pact. Phaethon was the son of God Helios who consequences that followed, we can indicate had fallen from the skies in fire chariot with a that at least, one such event could influence fire tail of his burning hair. On the spot where those early religions. We can conclude that he had fallen, a crater was formed, with the such event happened before or during the rise earthquake and meteor shower (raining Gods of these early cultures. That would indicate that blood) that followed. Also, the Sun did not rise 222 Bon: Astronomy and catastrophes through myth and old texts

Fig. 1. Starmap of sky position in about 4000 BC (this plot was made using XEphem planetarium software (Bruning and Talcott 1995)) in sorrow for Phaethon. According to the myth, tion of Orion was not mentioned in this myth, Phaethon fell into the Eridan, the river-ocean since it was also equatorial constellation dur- that surrounded the world. All these motives ing those times. This constellation was very in the Phaethon myth, clearly indicate that this important in many precious cultures and reli- myth was connected to the quite a large object gions so it could not be just accidentally forgot- that had fallen from the skies, putting the dust ten. Starting from this assumption, Bon et al. into the air so the Sun light was blocked (see (2002) dated back this scene to about 4000 for e.g. Clube 1995). B.C., by trying to find the position of the celestial equator, such that the constellation of Since these two scenes were often depicted Orion would not be included in the equato- together, and Mithra like Phaethon is often de- rial constellations, while all the other constel- picted while riding the fire chariot together lations that were represented in this icon, were with Helios, there could be a possible indi- still equatorial. This position was found to be at cation that scene of creation in the Mithras approximately 4000 B.C. In fact, this position iconography could represent the cataclysmic of the skies, all figures in this icon could be ex- event, after which followed the events that peo- plained as equatorial constellations (Bon et al. ple in those times could describe as the cre- 2002). ation of the world (Ulansey 1989). If this is the case, then Mithraic iconography could be used to locate this event in time. According 3. Conclusions to previous studdies the iconography of the This could indicate that there was a cata- scene of creation have celestial character (see clysmic event that was initiated by celestial Ulansey 1989; Bon et al. 2002), with rep- body infall. This event must be older then resentation of equatorial constellations dur- 2300 B.C., and it is very probably old as 4000 ing the Ages of Taurus (the times while the B.C. This event obviously influenced many of spring equinox was positioned in constellation first religions in their iconograpy and creation of Taurus). According to Ulansey (1989) the myths. scene of tauroctony (killing of the bull) rep- It is obviously too early to draw any defi- resents the time when the spring equinox was nite conclusions about the importance of pos- in transition from the constellation of Taurus sible impact-caused catastrophic occurrences to constellation Aries, about 2300 B.C. In this in archaeological and culturological record. study, some of the figures of this icon could Much work on both observational, historical, not be explained as constellations and there and epistemological grounds remains to be was no explanation how and why the constella- done. However, there is an obvious need for Bon: Astronomy and catastrophes through myth and old texts 223

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