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The prediction of seasonal events that astronomical alignments enabled served agricultural and ritual calendars. The sanctuary that marked when spring planting should begin, that indicated when harvest festivals should occur, that predicted when winter preparations must be completed—this was practical astronomy that served immediate subsistence needs while also having theological significance. The correspondence between celestial cycles and agricultural seasons made astronomical knowledge directly valuable for survival.
The lunar observations that some sanctuaries might have facilitated added to solar calendar. The moon’s more complex movements—its varying declination, its orbital nodes, its phases—required more sustained observation to understand than sun’s relatively simple annual cycle. The sanctuaries that encoded lunar knowledge alongside solar alignments demonstrated comprehensive astronomical interests rather than focus on single celestial body.
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