Articles

Arheoastronomical Study of Ancient Khorezmian Complex Koy-Krylgan-kala

Vostok/Oriens '2014, №4

 
This paper examines ancient Khorezmian complex Koy-Krylgan-kala from the point of view of archaeoastronomy. Previously it was assumed that the main structure of the complex is oriented on azimuth 69 degrees, which is associated with the direction of the rising Sun in the middle of the period of time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, and/or in the direction of the point of heliacal rising of Fomalhaut. A comparison of the archaeological plans of Khorezmian expedition with high-precision satellite imagery from Google Earth, shows that in some cases the measured Magnetic North have not been recalculated to the True North, or recalculation was made incorrectly. In particular, it is shown that the main axis of the complex Koy-Krylgan-kala is oriented on azimuth 80 degrees. This conclusion refutes all previous results. In ancient times the third flood of Amu Darya was called “flooding of stars” and in the pre-Islamic period the asterism Pleiades had the name “Star”. When complex Koy-Krylgan-kala was build the heliacal rising of the Pleiades coincided with the moment of the third flood of Amu Darya, and the moment visibility of the Pleiades occurred at an azimuth of 78–79 degrees. Hence we assume that the main axis of the complex Koy-Krylgan-kala is directed on the azimuth of rising of the Pleiades which had a special meaning in the culture of ancient Khorezm.

Keywords: archaeoastronomy, an astronomical orientation, Koy-Krylgan-kala

Pages: С. 21–36