MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT FÜR WISSENSCHAFTSGESCHICHTE Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

Event

Jun 9, 2022
Orientation and Organization of the Zodiacal Image in the Roman Empire

  • 15:30 to 17:00
  • Lecture
  • Dept. III
  • Fabio Spadini (Freie Universität Berlin/ANHIMA Paris)

This is the fourth session of the Visualizations of the Heavens Lecture Series 2022.

Abstract:

The Orientation of the individual constellations within the Zodiac ring seems to follow a precise pattern. Nonetheless, some external factors, whether cultural or practical, seem to modify the expected structure of the image. We will first attempt to define the factor that determine the orientation of each individual constellation within the zodiacal ring (e.g. relative orientation, general harmony, readability, etc). Second we will analyse a case study (Khirbet-et-Tannur) where the change in the orientation of the zodiacal image seems to be dictated by the position of the planets at the time of the construction of the monument.

Organizer(s)
Related Project(s)
Address
Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Boltzmannstraße 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Room
Zoom/Online Meeting Platform
Contact and Registration

The meetings will take place on Zoom. The event is closed to the public, but MPIWG members are welcome and may register by emailing: brentjes@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de

About This Series

The goal of the lecture series is to complement the image database that we have created over the last years by topic and region-specific lectures related to the history and culture of astral knowledge. 

Visualizations of the Heavens Lecture Series 2022:
Mar 24, 2022: Imagining the Stars in Premodern Eurasia: Intercultural Comparisons Between East and West Asia Apr 21, 2022: The Grand Zodiacal Tablets and the Papyri Graecae Magicae: Which Connection between Magic and Astrology? May 19, 2022: Science in Practice: Astronomical Instruments in the Islamic World Jun 30, 2022: From Athens to Samarkand: Constellations and Celestial Globes from the Islamic World
2022-06-09T15:30:00SAVE IN I-CAL 2022-06-09 15:30:00 2022-06-09 17:00:00 Orientation and Organization of the Zodiacal Image in the Roman Empire This is the fourth session of the Visualizations of the Heavens Lecture Series 2022. Abstract: The Orientation of the individual constellations within the Zodiac ring seems to follow a precise pattern. Nonetheless, some external factors, whether cultural or practical, seem to modify the expected structure of the image. We will first attempt to define the factor that determine the orientation of each individual constellation within the zodiacal ring (e.g. relative orientation, general harmony, readability, etc). Second we will analyse a case study (Khirbet-et-Tannur) where the change in the orientation of the zodiacal image seems to be dictated by the position of the planets at the time of the construction of the monument. Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Boltzmannstraße 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany Zoom/Online Meeting Platform Rana Brentjes Rana Brentjes Europe/Berlin public