Ancients Used Complex Astronomy

New research suggests that ancient people had advanced knowledge of astronomy, using animal symbols to represent constellations and mark dates such as comet strikes.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in the UK have found that cave artworks across Europe tracked constellations using zodiacs, which were previously thought to be only primitive animal depictions. Comet strikes and other important dates were also tracked as far back as 40,000 years ago.

The research also shows that so-called “primitive” people understood the precession of the equinoxes—which was previously credited to the ancient Greeks.

The study was published in the Athens Journal of History and can be found here.