The cretan middle bronze age ‘Minoan Kernos’ was designed to predict a total solar eclipse and to facilitate a magnetic compass
dc.contributor.author | Downey, William | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2017-01-30T12:00:50Z | |
dc.date.available | 2017-01-30T12:00:50Z | |
dc.date.created | 2016-10-17T19:30:19Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2015 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Downey, W. 2015. The cretan middle bronze age ‘Minoan Kernos’ was designed to predict a total solar eclipse and to facilitate a magnetic compass. Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry. 15 (1): pp. 95-107. | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/17286 | |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.5281/zenodo.15041 | |
dc.description.abstract |
Archaeometry is the application of scientific techniques used to analyze archaeological materials. The Cretan Bronze Age Minoan Kernos, has hitherto, been regarded as a gaming board or for religious purposes. Here, it is shown, that, it was designed, specifically, to predict the occurrence of the 9th. January 1860 BCE Total Solar Eclipse. A prototype magnetic compass was centrally facilitated in a non-magnetic marble structure, whose geomagnetic declination angle, appears to coincide with the Kernos’ eclipse prediction-axis orientation. Comparisons of eclipse constructions taken from Kernos measurements, with those of Hipparchus (2nd. c. BCE), appear to be similar, suggesting a common origin. Evidence obtained using a multidisciplinary approach, is testament to the sophistication of Middle Bronze Age science and technology and the ability to create a mathematically-based eclipse predictor and magnetic compass, 3800 years ago and 1700 years before the advent of the Antikythera Mechanism. | |
dc.title | The cretan middle bronze age ‘Minoan Kernos’ was designed to predict a total solar eclipse and to facilitate a magnetic compass | |
dc.type | Journal Article | |
dcterms.source.volume | 15 | |
dcterms.source.number | 1 | |
dcterms.source.issn | 1108-961X | |
dcterms.source.title | Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry | |
curtin.department | Curtin Sarawak | |
curtin.accessStatus | Fulltext not available |
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