| Cult. | Magnetic Azimuth. | Astronomical Amplitude. | Decl. |
|---|---|---|---|
| ° | ° | ° | |
| Pyramid 16 | N. 102 E. | 3½ S. of E. | S. 3¼ |
| Pyramid 20 | N. 103 E. | 4½ S. of E. | S. 4¼ |
| Temple near Watercourse | N. 112 E. | 13½ S. of E. | S. 12¾ |
| Pyramid 15 | N. 112 E. | 13½ S. of E. | S. 12¾ |
| Pyramids 14, 37 | N. 113 E. | 14½ S. of E. | S. 13¾ |
| Pyramid 10 | N. 116 E. | 17½ S. of E. | S. 16¾ |
| Pyramid 39 | N. 118 E. | 19½ S. of E. | S. 18¾ |
| Pyramid 19 | N. 83 E. | 15½ N. of E. | N. 14¾ |
Gebel Barkal.[131]
| Cult. | Magnetic Azimuth. | Astronomical Amplitude. | Decl. |
|---|---|---|---|
| ° | ° | ° | |
| Temple E | N. 132 E. | 33½ S. of E. | S. 31½ |
| Pyramid 18 | N. 132½ E. | 34 S. of E. | S. 32 |
| Temple L | N. 136½ E. | 38 S. of E. | S. 35½ |
| Pyramids 9, 13 | N. 136 E. | 37½ S. of E. | S. 35¼ |
| Pyramid 11 | N. 140 E. | 41½ S. of E. | S. 39 |
| Pyramids 1, 2 | N. 141 E. | 40½ S. of E. | S. 39¾ |
| Temples J and H | N. 146 E. | 47½ S. of E. | S. 44¼ |
| Pyramid 20 | N. 146 E. | 47½ S. of E. | S. 44¼ |
| Pyramids 2, 15, 16, 17 | N. 147 E. | 48½ S. of E. | S. 45¼ |
| Temple B | N. 152 E. | 53½ S. of E. | S. 49¾ |
| Pyramids 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 | N. 153 E. | 54½ S. of E. | S. 50½ |
| Pyramid 19 | N. 156 E. | 57½ S. of E. | S. 53 |
It seems quite justifiable from the above facts to conclude that the pyramids and temples oriented S.E. and, as I hold, to α Centauri when it heralded the autumnal equinox, were not built by people having the same astronomical ideas, worships, and mythology as those who built at Gîzeh due E. and W., and marked the autumnal equinox by the heliacal rising of Antares.[132] The only thing in common was noting an equinox, and so far as this goes we may infer that neither people dwelt originally in the Nile Valley, but came by devious ways from a country or countries where the equinoxes had been made out.
PLAN OF THE TEMPLES AND PYRAMIDS AT GEBEL BARKAL.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE ORIGIN OF EGYPTIAN ASTRONOMY—THE NORTHERN SCHOOLS.
So far we have dealt with the dawn of astronomy in Egypt. We have found that from the earliest times there were astronomical observations carried on, and that practically there were three schools of thought. To all three schools sun-worship was common, but we may clearly separate them by the associated star-worship. We have found worshippers of northern stars, east and west stars, and southern stars.
The northern star-worshippers we may associate with Annu, the east and west star cult with the pyramid fields at Gîzeh, and the southern star-worshippers with Upper Egypt.
What we have to do in the present chapter is to see whether the orientation of the structures helps us with any suggestions touching the question whether we have to stop at the places named and acknowledge Egypt to be the true cradle of astronomical science; or whether the facts we have considered compel us to go a stage further back, and to recognise that the true origin was elsewhere; that, in short, astronomy, instead of taking its rise in Egypt, was simply imported thither.