Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>
> Other factors would come into play, such as the size of the aperture and how
> wide of an angle of the sun can pass as well as the arc it follows. I
> wonder if any allowance was made since precession was known over 2000 years
> ago.


I don't know if any allowance was made. To me, the more interesting
question is how much was known about precession 2000 years ago. I'd
guess that the fact that the night sky changed in slight but noticeable
ways was apparent. But understanding that the earth's axis was changing
in its relationship to the sun? I'm not so sure. That would require
understanding that the earth rotating on an axis, was revolving around
the sun, and that the axis was changing in its relationship to the sun.
I'm not sure that the ancients grasped all that, although they might have.


I've got a copy of _Hamlet's Mill_ somewhere in my basement. I might
have to dig it up and take a look. Or perhaps you can recommend a more
up-to-date source on archaeoastronomy?


--Lia