Mapping the Universe - Mapping Scientific Frontiers: The Quest for Knowledge Visualization - page 57

Fig. 2.9 London underground map does not conform to the geographical configuration

The ancient Babylonians and Egyptians had constellation figures before the
Greeks. In some cases, these may correspond with later Greek constellations; in
other cases, there is no correspondence; and in yet other cases an earlier figure might
be represented in a different part of the sky. The constellation figures of the Northern
Hemisphere are over 2,000 years old.
Peter Whitfield describes the history of celestial cartography in The Topography
of the Sky (Whitfield 1999 ). One of the hallmarks of ancient astronomy was that
precise observation coexisted with a sense of mystery and transcendence. The
Babylonians, in particular, devised powerful mathematical systems for predicting
the positions of celestial bodies, while still considering those bodies to be “gods” of
the night. The practice of early civilizations was crucial for the development of star
mapping.
Early astronomers grouped stars in patterns to identify and to memorize regions
of the sky. Different cultures perceived different star patterns. By about 2000 BC,
both Egyptians and Babylonians had identified star groups, which typically took the
form of animal or mythic-human figures. Since the purpose was for everyone to
remember, there was hardly anything more suitable than animals or mythic-human
figures. The main point was to recognize an area of the sky.
The use of animals and mythic-human figures in constellations raises a deeper
question about the nature of their significance. From cave paintings, to constellation
figures, and to the message plaques on Pioneer and Voyager space probes, what is
the most suitable carrier of our intended message?