Archaeoastronomy at Giza: The ancient Egyptians' mathematical astronomy in action

Abstract

The extent and validity of mathematical astronomy among the ancient Egyptians has been repeatedly neglected in the past, mainly due to the nearly complete absence of written documents. In recent years however the development of archaeoastronomical analysis of the existing monuments of this wonderful civilization is slowly but definitively changing such a reductive viewpoint. In particular, spectacular and unexpected clues come from the study of the archaeo-topography and the archaeoastronomy of the two main Giza pyramids, which appear to have been planned, together with their annexes, according to a project which was deeply and intimately related to the cycles of the celestial bodies. © Springer-Verlag Italia, Milano 2009.