The Moon & Timekeeping
This natural body’s phases gave early humans an easy way to mark months before solar calendars existed.
What is the Moon?
Unlike days or months, the seven-day week is this kind of time measure.
What is an artificial or man-made unit?
Ancient observers who studied the heavens for signs about human destiny.
Who are astrologers?
Boorstin’s first great domain of discovery in The Discoverers.
What is time?
Name for the extra month inserted in some lunar calendars to realign with the solar year.
What is an intercalary month?
This ancient civilization used an eight-day market week before adopting the seven-day week.
What is Rome?
This early Christian theologian rejected astrology as incompatible with free will.
Who is Augustine (Saint Augustine of Hippo)?
The moon and the week both show that science is shaped by these social factors, not just technology.
What are culture and religion?
This 19-year cycle used by the Babylonians reconciled lunar and solar years.
What is the Metonic cycle?
Religious influence from these two major faiths helped spread the seven-day week.
What are Judaism and Christianity?
Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos helped preserve this kind of careful sky observation, even while promoting astrology.
What is astronomy?
Medieval thinkers like Thomas Aquinas allowed for “astral influences” but insisted on this human capacity.
What is free will?
The reliance on this type of calendar might have delayed the development of precise solar-based agriculture.
What is the lunar calendar?
The week’s adoption shows that time measurement can be shaped as much by culture as by this.
What is astronomy (or natural phenomena)?
Astrology preserved accurate planetary data because it required these tools, still used by astronomers.
What are astronomical tables and charts?