User Reviews

What's fascinating to me about this story is how ancient civilizations were able to make mathematical sense out of the movements of the sun, moon and constellations in the sky above, and apply those movements to the concept of time and seasons. Me, I look up at the night sky and the only thing I can pick out is the Big Dipper, and sometimes Venus on a clear night. This episode of the 'Ancient Skies' mini-series takes a look at how those civilizations of long ago came to view their relationship with the unknown, in many cases, what they viewed as the mythical gods that ruled their lives via clues derived from the heavens. Explored here are the Egyptians, Babylonians, Mayans and Greeks who used astronomy to build magnificent, celestially aligned monuments that are exceedingly precise in defining true North, South, East and West. It wasn't until the Greek scientist Thales, considered the first philosopher in the Western tradition, that a rational, scientific explanation was sought for the way natural phenomena occurred as opposed to supernatural or divine intervention. Via colorful graphics and stunning cinematography, this episode launches a compelling series that explores man's centuries long relationship with the sun, moon and stars in a way that both educates and entertains.