How Did Ancient Civilizations Accurately Predict Astronomical Events?

[BrockLee]

So here it is I am a mcguyver at heart, And Part of this idealogy is just finding things out. Does anyone have Any Idea about the methodology's of our ancenstors in respect to this forum's topic ( Science ie. discovery of truth ) To no avail have I found exactly how the mayans were able to predict astronomical phenomena( atleast to them ) nor have I found a reasoning for the predictions of eclipses they are so whole heartedly reported to have graphed. I do not believe that they were able to predict the eclipse's so precisely without the aide of a sundial so let me start there with the ideas of how they counted time. I wish to especially know of any calculation of time based on fixed position to constellations at night.
Thank you and by the way I am working on such a map or graph of the relationship of constellations to time to position on the planet. Thanks for your help.

 

[Vanadium 50]

You might want to look up "Saros Cycle".

 

[BrockLee]

http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Saros_Cycle OMG that is awsome. This is helping me on my mapping project to which yesterday I established a method for calculating the "azimuth" I believe they call It (for height relative to the horizon, or sea level( depending on the case))
I have a seasonal clock based onthe constellations for any of you who may be interested.
<a href="http://sites.google.com/site/abstractind/Home/imagery/StarMapConstellations02.bmp">Seasonal Constellation Cycle - Southern Circumpolar</a>
Oh and this is awsome to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Time_in_astronomy
Good looking out man.

 

[mylko]

Check out James Evans' "The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy"

http://books.google.com/books?id=LV...&resnum=1&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[Chronos]

Ancient astronomers were very good at observational astronomy. They built many edifices apparently designed for that purpose. Unfortunately, they were mostly tools of religious authorities in their cultures.