Navigating Without Maps: How ancient civilizations used the sky to survive

Thousands of years ago, there were no Google Maps or daily weather forecasts. Instead, there was the night sky—a map, calendar, compass, and temple all rolled into one. People living in ancient times noticed that certain stars rose and set at the same time every year. By tracking these patterns, they could predict the changing seasons, determine when the rains would come or when the soil would be ready for planting, create calendars, and navigate routes.  In fact, watching the stars inspired early scientific thinking. As a result, astronomy became one of the first sciences. It had a tremendous influence on religion, architecture, and culture at that time.

The Babylonians were the first to use astronomy. In fact, they are responsible for creating the zodiac signs. Babylonians viewed stars as messages from their gods and carefully divided the sky into twelve sections, each section representing one of the zodiac signs. They believed that stars and planets sent divine messages from their gods. For them, observing the sky was both spiritual and scientific. They held so much faith in the stars that they relied on meteorological events to plan important occasions in their society.

Similarly, the Mayans used celestial events to develop a precise 365 day calendar called the Haab. This calendar was highly accurate and allowed them to predict agricultural and religious events. The Mayans were very advanced for their time, they had a superior understanding of mathematics. Therefore, unlike other civilizations, their predictions had actual scientific backing. They even positioned buildings and structures to be in alignment with the stars and planets. These structures often served as observatories to monitor the night sky. The Mayans meticulously tracked the movement of each celestial body to ensure the accuracy of their calendars. 

In ancient Egypt, the stars were used to predict the flooding of the Nile, an important event that fertilized the soil for a plentiful harvest. They noticed how the appearance of the star Sirius was tied to the rising of the Nile River, an essential factor in their agricultural planning. Despite centuries of research, many questions about ancient astronomy remain unanswered. For example, why did ancient societies look to the sky to understand life on earth? Why were they so intrigued by the tiny specks dotting the sky, and how did they first give meaning to stars? Most importantly, was astronomy of that time even an accurate source of prediction, and is there any scientific proof to support that?

Who knows how the ancient civilizations would have survived without receiving their guidance from the night sky? Regardless of whether that guidance was accurate or not, the stars reassured people in those times. The consistent positioning of stars gave people confidence that nature followed a predictable cycle, strengthening their faith and beliefs.  Now, we know for a fact that there is no scientific correlation between agriculture and astronomy. However, even today, farmers reference the “Farmer’s Almanac” to guide them through their harvests. The Almanac “has provided practical advice, weather predictions, and insights into natural rhythms, blending meteorology, folklore, and astronomy to guide farmers and nature enthusiasts.” 

Despite having access to sophisticated tools like satellite data and weather models, due to climate change, we can no longer accurately predict natural disasters. While the Almanac may not be a reliable scientific forecast, climate change has made weather patterns unpredictable. These changing weather patterns are threatening agriculture globally and creating food insecurity. Climate change is a reminder that understanding natural cycles, something ancient astronomers valued deeply, remains essential.