"2500-Year-Old Stone Artifact Unveiled as Oldest Celestial Map in Italy"
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Universe Today
Archaeologists in Italy have discovered two stone disks at a protohistoric hill fort that may represent one of the oldest known maps of the night sky. The stones, dated between 1800 and 400 BCE, bear chisel marks that align with the positions of 28 bright stars in various constellations such as Scorpius, Orion, and the Pleiades. Statistical analysis supports the hypothesis that these markings accurately reflect these constellations, with one unexplained mark potentially indicating a historical nova or supernova. Further research is required to confirm the stones' purpose as stellar maps, but the evidence suggests a significant astronomical understanding by the people of that era.