Historical and Egyptological problems of chronology concerning Egypt's 18th and 19th dynasty (c. 1550-1300 BC), are continuously coming up.
          This being of relevance, too, to a growing demand for an easy access to the information given by of the original text of Ove von Spaeth's analysis and report: "Dating the Oldest Egyptian Star Map". The paper was published in "Centaurus International Magazine of the History of Mathematics, Science, and Technology", July-August 2000 (more information concerning the publication will follow).
          When publishing this treatise concerning its new orientating discoveries of the content of the ancient star map, the number of prints was relatively limited. The star map demonstrates to be impressively well constructed by Queen Hatshepsut's gifted 'vizier' Senmut (or Senenmut), around 1.500 BC. And the need of acquiring the new data of the map has exceeded more than it was expected.

          The earlier situation of not being able to obtain the text easily, seems, in a few cases, to have caused some disadvantages, especially negligence or wrong impressions of the content:
          - For instance, an international Newsgroup for the History of Astronomy has published discussions on the internet among researchers, scholars, and scientists concerning Ove von Spaeth's scientific treatise on dating the world's oldest star map: - Around 25 different letters dealing with this matter, were distributed world wide to all members of the group during the first months of 2002. Unfortunately, solely based on accounts and comments, the statements from members of the group contain also certain misunderstandings, as scholars and scientist involved admittedly neglected to consult the primary source, i.e. the original text of the treatise. - Cf.  Debate on Dating the Star Map .

From article-bases at the libraries: xerox copies of the treatise can be required - the reference-No. is: ISSN 0008-8994, Centaurus, Vol. 42;3, 2000, pp. 159-179.
          However, in many cases this line of action proved to be too slow a procedure to obtain the information at the moment it was needed.

!  Now, it is has been arranged that it is possible (in connection with the special Moses-research, cf. permission below) - for free and without the delay - to receive the treatise directly, in an new electronic version..

Documentation of the dating of Senmut's star map. The scientific treatise by Ove von Spaeth published in "Centaurus" (Vol.42;3, 2000, pp. 159-179) was later re-edited to be used by readers without "professional" astronomical knowledge. This to be presented in connection with Ove von Spaeth's  Moses-research - then being added as a special Appendix to vol. 2 of his present book-series on Moses.
          From a hitherto unknown level of the astronomical knowledge by ancient Egyptians, in a high-level era of 1550-1450 BC, an opportunity now turns out concerning the ability of discovering new and surprising information contained in Egypt's oldest star map. The star map in question constitutes the adornment of a tomb construction which belonged to the grand vizier and calendar chief of Queen Hatshepsut, approx. 3,500 years ago, under the 18th dynasty. Also, it is the world's oldest star map.
          According to the presented analysis, the star-map reveals to contain information of an actual celestial event of its time. This recent discovery uncovers thus the earliest exact scientific description of an otherwise rare but not unknown celestial phenomenon. The findings can be exposed, for instance, as the following summary:

"The study concludes as follows: The Senmut map depicts an exceptional event in the sky. This seems to have produced a prototype for all later pictures of similar celestial events - but with one exception: In the first depiction, in the time of Senmut, Mars is retrograde in the west when the other planets assemble around Sirius in the east.
          So far, it has been demonstrated:  1) The Senmut maps contain a cosmological and astro-mythological expression not only as decoration - as hitherto assumed - but also as a picture of a particular and unique situation in the sky. -  2) This configuration of the sky can be exactly dated: 1534 BC.
          In addition the star maps may contribute to a much better dating of their creator Senmut and also of the contemporary Egyptian pharaohs."

D.I. Loizos, Professor in History, Editor-in-Chief, - Anistoriton Journal of History, Archaeology, & ArtHistory, Vol. 6/2002 (ISSN 1108-4081), - Anistoriton History Library, Athens, Greece
 

The further achievements of the research yields twofold: 
          a)  presenting an able method of dating other similar star maps produced through the ages of Egypt; 
          b)  the very discovery that other star maps, too, e.g. by Ramses II, are constructed according to similar systems containing information reflecting their exact dating.
          As an extra gain the especially important era of ancient history (Egypt's 18th dynasty period) is now to be set free of the limbo of non-fixation of its exact time.

          By these results it is our wish to offer special thanks for the consultations concerning original corrections for respectively the astronomy concept and the Egyptian texts:
- Kristian Peder Moesgaard, D.Sc., Professor, History of Science Department, Aarhus University; - Director of the Steno Museum, Denmark's National Museum for the History of Science, Aarhus;
          and to:
- Erik Iversen, Dr.Phil.h.c., Egyptology, formerly of the University of Copenhagen.

          Ove von Spaeth

"Centaurus International Magazine of the History of Mathematics, Science, and Technology" (established 1950/51) being most esteemed as only comparable to the world's oldest and largest journal in this field:  "Isis Journal of the History of Science" (established 1913). Some information about Centaurus may be of use:

          The treatise of Ove von Spaeth: "Dating the Oldest Egyptian Star Map", was published in "Centaurus International Magazine of the History of Mathematics, Science, and Technology", Vol. 42;3, 2000, pp. 159-179, - by Aarhus University, the History of Science Department, Denmark; - and issued by Munksgaard /Blackwell International Publishers, Copenhagen. - (ISSN 0008-8984).

          Abstracted or indexed in:  Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts & Humanities Citation Index, Research Alert.
          Current Contents:  Social & Behavioral Sciences, Historical Abstracts.

The Centaurus editorial staff, consultants, addresses, conditions, and subscriptions: In the following data some few changes may have been made since the Centaurus Magazine published the issue/volume in question - July-August 2000 :

Editorial staff:
Editor in chief: KURT MØLLER PEDERSEN, History of Science Department Aarhus University, Denmark. Assistant Editors:  KIRSTI ANDERSEN, OLE KNUDSEN, & HENRY NIELSEN, History of Science Department. Aarhus University. Book Review Editor:  HELGE KRAGH, History of Science Department. Aarhus University. Secretary to the Editors:  LOUIS KLOSTERGAARD, History of Science Department. Aarhus University, Denmark.

Consulting Editors:
ASGER AABOE, YaIe University, USA.  ¤  J.M. HENK BOS, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.  ¤  LIS BRACK-BERNSEN, Universität Regensburg, Germany.  ¤  MARK CLARK, Oregon Institute of Technology, USA. ¤ MENSO FOLKERTS, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany.  ¤  DAVID FOWLER, University of Warwick, United Kingdom. ROBERT MARC FRIEDMAN, University of Oslo, Norway.  ¤  JEREMY JOHN GRAY, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.  ¤  JAN PETER HOGENDIJK, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.  ¤  ARNE KAIJSER, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden.  ¤  JESPER LUTZEN, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.  ¤  ROBERTO DE ANDRADE MARTINS, State University of Campinas. Brazil.  ¤  CHRISTOPH MEINEL, Universität Regensburg, Deutschland.  ¤  KRISTIAN P. MOESGAARD, StenoMuseum, Aarhus, Denmark.  ¤  JOHN D. NORTH, Oxford, United Kingdom.  ¤  JOAN RICHARDS, Brown University, Providence. USA.  ¤  ALAN E. SHAPIRO, Tate Laboratory of Physics, Minneapolis, USA.  ¤  DONALD B. WAGNER, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.  ¤  ANDREW WARWICK, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, United Kingdom.

Addresses:
Manuscripts, review copies of books, and editorial communications should be sent to: Centaurus, History of Science Department. Aarhus University. Ny Munkegade, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark, Phone: +45 8942 35 12, Fax: +45 8942 35 10. e-mail: centaurus@ifa.au.dk .
          Subscription orders may be placed with: Head office: MUNKSGAARD International Publishers Ltd., 35 Nørre Søgade. Postbox 2148, DK-1016 Copenhagen K, Denmark, Tel: +45773333 33, Fax: +45 77 3333 77, e-mail: fsub@munksgaard.dk  or  Regional office in USA: MUNKSGAARD International Publishers Ltd., Commerce Place. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5018, USA, Tel: +1(781)3888273, Fax: +1(781)3888274 or with any subscription agent.

          CENTAURUS International Magazine of the History of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, © 2000 Munksgaard International Publishers Ltd.: - Authorization to photocopy items for internal and personal use, or the internal and personal use of specific clients, is granted by Munksgaard International Publishers Ltd. for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC).
          Transactional Reporting Service, provided that the base fee of US$ 12.00 per copy is paid directly to CCC, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers.  MA 01923 0008-8994/00/ US$ 12.00+0.00.
          In the United States prior to photocopying items for educational classroom use, please contact The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923, 508-750-8400.  All other rights including microfilm, electronic and optical storing, and/or copying reserved.

          Centaurus [ISSN 0008-8994] is published quarterly by Munksgaard International Publishers Ltd., 35 Nørre Søgade, P.O. Box 2148, DK-1016 Copenhagen K, Denmark. (Printed in Denmark by P.J. Schmidt A/S, Vojens).
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