ANCESTRAL NIGHTS

[93Regina]

Scattered across the United States, from the Southwest, all the way to
Hawai'i, ancient astronomy petroglyphs and archaeoastronomy structures
sit weathering in the landscape. Carved and built by diverse group of
tribes, from Native Hawaiians, to the Paiutes of Bishop, California,
and the Ancestral Puebloans of the Southwest, these petroglyphs and
structures reflect the long standing interest in Ancient Astronomy
which grew stronger as many of the tribes went from the Hunter
Gatherer to the Agrarian societal orders. From references to the Sun
carved in the rock, and interest in using the Sun to predict seasons
(entire buildings built to essentially serve as sundials and
calendars, a critical element in the farming communities) to those of
13 moons (lunar annual calendar), to carvings of stars and
constellations, interest in celestial bodies is ever present across
the indigenous communities of the United States.