The Starry Heavens of the Mesopotamians: Of fields, gods and Exalted Lions
A glimpse into the starry sky of the Western sky culture – which consists of the constellations that Arabs adopted from the Romans, these from the Greeks and the latter from the Babylonians – is also a glimpse into the starry skies of the Mesopotamians and into the history of their migration to the north.
The Starry Heavens of the Arabs: On the Singularity of Stars
Before it was overdrawn by the Greco-Roman constellations in the early Middle Ages, the Arabian starry sky consisted of only a few constellations but numerous individual stars, interpreted as camels, dogs or monkeys, for example. It is one of the most detailed starry skies in the world.
The Starry Heavens of the Bororo: Of Rituals, Birds and Animals
The Bororo of central Brazil live semi-nomadically from farming, hunting and fishing. Their nightly stargazing activities are accompanied by storytelling and ritual chanting. Their most important constellation is the Pleiades, which are known as the White Downs.
Tuareg – The Guide
The culture of the Tuareg stretches across the Sahara and the Sahel zone. In the past the night sky served this desert people as a means of orientation, for journeys, prayer and their calendar, which marks activities essential for survival. One of its most prominent asterisms is Amanar.
Inuit – Wolf + Reindeer
The lands of the Inuit stretch from Greenland across Canada to Alaska and across the Bering Straits. Their culture has a very particular view of the few stars and constellations that are visible in the polar night. In some regions a star is only considered to be the size of a harp seal.
Navajo – Thunder + Lightning
The Southern Dene – or Navajo and Apache – live in the American Southwest. Their kinship with the Northern Dene does also manifest itself in the constellations of their night skies – which also, however, betray Asian influences. Their Thunderbird is probably the largest constellation in the world.
