Predicting Weather By The Moon - Xavier University Libraries

The Moon in Ancient History
strual cycles to each other, indicating that the cycle can be
psychologically changed. This happens in zoo-confined primates
as well. The primate menstrual cycle is generally a
28 day one, and as 28 days is the true moon cycle and not
31, this speaks more of a tie-up to the moon than if the
menstrual was a 31 day cycle.
In the Lebembo Mountains bordering Swaziland the
small part of a baboon’s thighbone, dating from about
35,000BC has been discovered with 29 notches engraved
upon it. It is the earliest known tallying device. Was it a
Moon phase counter? The earliest form of a known lunar
calendar consists of notches etched into bones 20,000 years
ago by paleolithic tribesmen in central Africa. The groups
of tallies are arranged in groups of 14, which many believe
to have been a record of days, measuring the time between
Full and New Moon. Presumably, it was important to know
when the next continuous night-light for hunting activities
would occur, or when possibly the next mating period could
be expected.
In northwestern Mexico we find the same type of recording
dating from a much later period of 2000-3000BC.
carved on stone. These lunar calendrical tallies appear
alongside lists of weapons and kills.
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