Astronomy & Cosmology
Vedanga Jyotisha: earliest Indian astronomical text
text late centuries BCE; data possibly c. 1400-1150 BCELagadha (traditional author)Vedanga Jyotisha (Rk and Yajus recensions)Pan-Indian / unspecified
1,400 BCE
A calendrical text giving a five-year cycle and Sun-Moon positions to time Vedic rituals.
- Dated
- 1,400–400 BCE
- As scholars put it
- text late centuries BCE; data possibly c. 1400-1150 BCE
- Originator
- Lagadha (traditional author)
- Source text
- Vedanga Jyotisha (Rk and Yajus recensions)
- Region
- Pan-Indian / unspecified
- Discipline
- Astronomy & Cosmology
- Evidence
- Documented
- Confidence
- Medium
- Verification
- Verified-web
Fair to say
Dating is genuinely disputed: the language points to the late centuries BCE, while its solstice description implies c. 1400-1150 BCE; Pingree argued some parameters reflect Mesopotamian influence.
Path to modern innovation
The root of the Jyotisha tradition.
1,400 BCEVedanga Jyotisha: earliest Indian astronomical text
300 CE
1957References
- 1Pingree (1973)
- 2Witzel (2001)
- 3Sastry & Sarma (1985)
Further reading
- 4Wikipedia: Vedanga Jyotisha
- 5Date of Jyotisa Vedanga (1)
- 6Center for Ancient History and Culture | The Center for Ancient History and Culture (CAHC) at Jain University conducts interdisciplinary research on India’s ancient cultural and intellectual heritage. Recognized as an Indian Knowledge System (IKS) center by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Corrections and additional sources: edit IND-265 on GitHub.