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Title:
On The Astronomical Context of Fish-shaped Vishap Stone Stelae
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Astrometry ; Space Sciences ; Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Fish-shaped Vishap Stone Stelae ; Piscis Austrinus ; Archaeoastronomy ; Megalithic Monuments ; Armenian Calendar History ; Cultural Astronomy
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Abstract:
The work discusses the problems related to the celestial parallels of Fish-shaped Vishap (dragon) stone stelae. In particular, it is shown that these monuments are the material manifestations of the cult of the constellation Pisces Austrinus (the Southern Fish) and relate to the modern Pisces of zodiac only indirectly. At the same time, the well-known result of their dating by astronomical methods does not change qualitatively, but is more clarified, by placing about 18800 BC. Here, the coincidence of the heliacal rising of Fomalhaut (α Piscis Austrini) and the ancient Armenian Navasard holiday (beginning of the year, 4 days before summer solstice) is taken as the basis of the calculation.