Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Ancient Lenses


When the great pyramid's construction was in its beginning stages, a level foundation would have been crucial to the pyramid's stability. Archaeologists of the present day have discovered that the 13-acre base is indeed level with only an 1/8th of an inch in variation from one corner to the other. Such accuracy requires accurate measurements. Accurate measurements rely, in turn, on accurate instruments. I am referring to ancient lenses. Lenses ground from rock crystal have been found not only in Egypt, but in Greece and Europe, and, possibly, South America. These lenses were most likely used in surveying and in astronomy. The Egyptians would have certainly used lenses in their construction of the pyramids at Giza.

A very clear example of the ancient Egyptian's use of lenses in astronomy is found in their recorded observations of the star Sirius. Sirius is a binary star: two stars orbiting each other in very close proximity. Only with a powerful telescope can one discern that Sirius is a binary star. To the naked eye, a binary star like Sirius appears as a single star. Yet the Egyptians, in their observations of Sirius, depict it as a binary star.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

They ust have been really good at making eye glasses back then too.

1/31/2007 12:38 PM  
Blogger Brian said...

That's very true. Ramses II was known to wear wraparound sunglasses to intimidate his subjects.

1/31/2007 1:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you don't say!

2/01/2007 11:10 AM  
Blogger Brian said...

yes, "jessie", i do . . .

2/01/2007 1:22 PM  
Blogger motion-beam said...

i have an egyptian in my class and he says Ramses II was imbred. is that true?

4/11/2007 1:30 AM  

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