Sources for the astronomy of primitive peoples

[Last updated: 20 Jan. 2025.]
[Total entries: 66.]

1590

Historia natural y moral de las Indias, en que se tratan las cosas notables del cielo, y elementos, metales, plantas, y animales dellas : y los ritos, y ceremonias, leyes, y gouierno, y guerras de los Indios. [E]
4°, Sevilla.
ACOSTA, J. DE = ACOSTA, J. D’

Other editions

8°, Barcelona y Sevilla, 1591; edition revised and corrected by the author.

2 vol. 8°, Madrid, 1608-10.

2 vol. 8°, Madrid, 1792.

See especially lib. V and VI for the astronomy of the indigenous peoples of America.

Translations

Historia naturale, e morale delle Indie
(by G. P. Gallucci);
4°, Venetia, 1596.

Histoire naturelle et morale des Indes tant Orientales qu’Occidentales
(by R. Regnauld);
8°, Paris, 1598.

Histoire naturelle et morale des Indes tant Orientales qu’Occidentales
(by R. Regnauld);
8°, Paris, 1600.

Histoire naturelle et moralle des Indes, tant Orientales qu’Occidentales
(by R. Regnauld);
8°, Paris, 1606.

Histoire naturelle et morale des Indes tant Orientales qu’Occidentales
(by R. Regnauld);
8°, Paris, 1616.

Historie naturael ende morael van de Westersche-Indien […]
(by J. H. van Linschoten);
8°, Enchuysen, 1598.

Historie naturael ende morael van de Westersche-Indien […]
(by J. H. van Linschoten);
4°, Amsterdam, 1624.
Reproduced in vol. II of the Dutch travel collection, published under the name of Gottfried by J. P. Abelinus: De aanmerkenswaardigste land- n zeereise, 8 vol. fol., Leiden, 1707; reprinted in 8 vol. fol., Leiden, 1727.

Historia naturalis et moralis Indiarum.
Fol., Francofurti, 1602;
Latin version made on the Dutch translation of J. H. van Linschoten, and inserted in the Latin edition of the Grands voyages [Narratio regionum Indicarum per Hispanos quondam devastatarum verissima, 13 vol. fol.] by De Bry brothers, at the head of vol. IX, 2nd printing.

The Naturall and Morall Historie of the East and West Indies. Intreating of the remarkeable things of Heaven, of the Elements, Metalls, Plants and Beasts which are proper to that Country : Together with the Manners, Ceremonies, Lawes, Governements, and Warres of the Indians.
(by E. Grimstone);
4°, London, 1604.

Natürliche und moralische Geschichte der Indien
(by G. Artus);
Fol., Frankfurt, 1617;
translation made from the Dutch version by J. H. van Linschoten, and inserted in the German collection of the Grands voyages by De Bry brothers, vol. IX.

1609

Primera parte de los commentarios reales, que tratan de el origen de los Incas.
Fol., Lisboa, 1609.
VEGA, GARCILASO DE LA

Other editions:

Fol., Madrid, 1723.

This work contains interesting details on the astronomy of the natives of Peru. Particular attention should be paid to lib. II, cap. 21-23.

Translations:

Histoire des Incas, rois du Pérou (by J. Baudoin).
2 vols. 4°, Paris, 1633.

2 vols. 12°, Amsterdam, 1704.

2 vols. 12°, Amsterdam, 1715.

2 vols. 4°, Amsterdam, 1757; with figures by B. Picart.

Histoire des Incas (by T. F. Dalibard).
2 vols. 12°, Paris, 1744.

L’histoire des Incas, rois du Pérou.
3 vols. 8°, Paris, 1830. – Printed at the expense of the French Government.

Geschichte der Peruvianer (by G. C. Böttger).
8°, Nordhausen, 1787.

The royal commentaries of Peru (by P. Rycaut).
Fol., London, 1688; with portrait and numerous plates.

Royal commentaries of the Yncas (by C. R. Markham).
2 vols. 8°, London, 1869.
These two volumes form Nos. 41 and 45 of the Publications of the Haklyut Society, London.

1638

Disquisitio astronomica de Etruscarum antiquatatum fragmentis Scornelli prope Vulterram repertis.
4°, Florentiae, 1638.
RENERIUS, V. = RENIERI, V.

1724

Moeurs des sauvages amériquains, comparées à celles des sauvages des autres temps.
2 vols. 4°, Paris, 1724-25; fig.
LAFITAU, J. F.

Other editions:

4 vols. 12°, Rouen, 1724.

Translations:

De zeden der wilden van Amerika tegen de zeden der oudste volkeren vergeleken (by H. W. van Welbergen and P. H. Charlois).
2 vols. fol. ‘S Gravenhage, 1731.

2 vols. fol., Amsterdam, 1751.

1744

Histoire et description générale de la Nouvelle France.
3 vols. 4°, Paris, 1744.
CHARLEVOIX, P. F. X. DE

Other editions:

6 vols. 12°, Paris, 1744.

Vol. III of the 4th ed., vol. VI of the 12th ed., contains information on the astronomy of the North American Indians.

Translations:

History and general description of New France.
6 vols. 12°, London, 1769.

1746

Beskrifning oefver de til Sveriges krona lydande Lappmarker.
8°, Stockholm, [1746].
HOEGSTROEM, P.

Translations:

Beschreibung des swedischen Laplands (by Templin).
8°, Leipzig, 1748.

= PREVOST D’EXILES, Histoire générale des voyages, 18 vols. 4°, Paris; t. XIX, 1770.

1749

Recueil d’observations curieuses sur les mœurs, les coutumes, les usages, les différentes langues, le gouvernement, la mythologie, la chronologie, la géographie ancienne et moderne, les cérémonies, la religion, la mécanique, l’astronomie, la médicine, la physique particulière, l’histoire naturelle, le commerce, la navigation, les arts et les sciences de différents peuples d’Ase, de l’Afrique et de l’Amérique.
4 vols. 12°, Paris, 1749.
DAVID, . . . (the young)

1758

De l’origine des lois, des arts et des sciences, et de leurs progrès chez les anciens peuples, depuis la déluge jusqu’au retour de la captivité ou jusqu’à l’avènement de Cyrus au trône de Perse.
3 vols. 4°, Paris, 1758.
GOGUET, A. Y.

Other editions:

3 vols. 12°, La Haye, 1758.

6 vols. 12°, Paris, 1759.

6 vols. 12°, Paris, 1778.

3 vols. 8°, Paris, 1809; a table of contents is added to this edition.

3 vols. 8°, Paris, 1820.

Here is the indication of the pieces which concern the history of astronomy, with the indication of the pages of the first edition:
Vol. I: Part I, Book III, Chapter ij, Art. 2 (pp. 213-237), on the beginnings of astronomy among primitive peoples.
Vol. II: Part II, Book III, Ch. iJ, Art. 2 (pp. 250-258), on the first progress of astronomy. – Same Book, Ch. iij, Art. 2 (pp. 276-285), on ancient uranographies. – Dissertation I (pp. 397-426), on the names and figures of the constellations. – Dissertation II (pp. 427-438), on the names of the planets.
Vol. III: Book III, ch ij (pp. 91-120), on the astronomical knowledge of the Chaldeans and Egyptians, and on the introduction of astronomy into Greece and Rome. – Dissertation II (pp. 261-272), on the astronomical periods of the Chaldeans.

Translations:

Der Ursprung der Gesetzen, Künsten und Wissenschaften (by G. C. Hamberger).
3 vols. 4°, Lemgo, 1760-72.

Sull’origine della legge, arti e scienze.
3 vols. 8°, Lucca, 1761.

Origine delle leggi, delle arti e delle scienze presso gli antichi popoli.
3 vols. 4°, Napoli, 1762.

Origin of laws, arts and sciences.
3 vols. 8°, London, 1775.

1773

Le monde primitif, analysé et comparé avec le monde moderne.
9 vols. 4°, Paris, 1775-84.
GÉBELIN, A. COURT DE
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Reprint of the first volumes in 1787.
In vol. I the author treats of the origin of astronomy, and explains the twelve signs of the zodiac by the labors of the fields, emblems of the labors of Hercules.
In vol. IV, 1776, we find a history of the calendar, from different civil, religious and allegorical points of view.

1778

Sâtt t nyttja fôrswenskade Runsthafwen.
8°, Westerås, 1778.
. . .

Other editions:

8°, Westerås, 1810.

8°, Westerås, 1813.

8°, Westerås, 1816.

8°, Westerås, 1822.

8°, Westerås, 1831.

8°, Westerås, 1833.

8°, Westerås, 1843.

8°, Fahlun, 1851.

Work on the use of the Swedish runic alphabet.

1792

Descripcion histórica y cronológica de las dos piedras que . . . en la plaza principal de México se fallaron en el año de 1790; explicáse el sistema de los calendarios de los Indios.
4°, México, 1792; 3 pl.
LEON Y GAMA, A. DE

Other editions:

2 part. 4°, México, 1832; edition accompanied by notes.

Description of two stones found in Mexico, containing a zodiac and an ancient Aztec calendar.

Translations:

Saggio dell’astronomia cronologia e mitologia degli antichi Messicani (by Pietro Giuseppe [Marquez]).
8°, Roma, 1804; 2 pl.

1810

Vues des Cordillères et monuments des peuples indigènes de l’Amérique.
Fol., Paris; 69 pl.
HUMBOLDT, A. DE = HUMBOLDT, A. VON

Other editions:

2 vols. 8°, Paris, 1814-16; 19 pl.

This work contains very interesting research on the comparison of the zodiacs of the primitive peoples of America with those of Asia.

Translations:

Sights of the Cordilleras.
2 vols. 8°, London, 1812.

1866

Monuments anciens du Mexique; Palenqué et autres ruines de l’ancienne civilisation du Mexique, dessinés d’après nature et relevés par De Waldeck.
Fol. Paris, 1866.
BOURBOURG, C. E. BRASSEUR DE

In chap. V, p. 50, the author deals with the “ancient year of the Mayans.”

1873

Astronomie, Urgeschichte.
8°, Köln, 1873.
KLEIN, H. J.

Forming No. 1 of vol. I of the Vierteljahres-Revue der Fortschritte der Naturwissenschaften in theoretischer und praktischer Beziehung.

1881

Die heilige Sage der Polynesier. Kosmogonie und Theogonie.
8°, Leipzig, 1881
BASTIAN, A.

= Nat, XXV, 1882, 28 (by E. B. Tylor).

1884

Decades americanae; mémoires d’archéologie et d’ethnographie américaines.
8°, Paris, 1884
HAMY, E. T.

This work contains a memoir on the American solar wheel.

Citazioni, spunti, segnalazioni, immagini e articoli per stimolare la curiosità e la voglia di approfondire.