Approximately contemporary with the megalithic cultures of western Europe, but flourishing independently of, were the much more advanced civilizations of Egypt, Babylon, India, and China. Each had its own system of astronomy, inextricably mixed with astrology, mythology, and religion. Each called upon the support of its own particular gods, kings, wise men, and mythical heroes to present its political, religious, or social aspirations to the people.
In Egypt, for example, astronomers made careful observations of the positions of the stars—especially the positions and times at which various stars rose and set. Of particular importance was the precise date of the summer helical rising (the emergence of a star from the light of the sun) of the bright star Sirius. This event portended the annual flooding of the Nile River, which was vital to the agricultural economy and hence, to the lives of the entire population of the Nile valley. The ancient Egyptian astronomers were also highly competent mathematicians—a skill that is apparent from the design (both external and internal) and positioning of the pyramids.Read More Astronomy as a science
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