ASTRONOMICAL AND MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE AND CALENDARS DURING THE EARLY HELLADIC ERA IN AEGEAN “FRYING PAN” VESSELS

Abstract

Analysis of the symbols engraved on prehistoric unknown use terracotae, the so called
frying pan vessels (Teganoschema), reveal a symbolic writing that depicts astronomical
phenomena, that are complex calendars based on the Sun and the Moon and all then
known planets. The frying pan vessels are mainly found in Cyclades, and around the Ae-
gean, Crete, Attica, and Thessaly. They are artifacts of the Cycladic civilization of the Ear-
ly Helladic Era. They have been found mainly in graves and settlements. The first find-
ings came to light during the late nineteenth century in the islands of Cyclades and their
possible use is still causing strong scientific interest, as it is unknown. Until now, archae-
ologists could not determine their use and the meaning of their representations. It was
believed that these vessels were used in funeral rituals, therefore depicted patterns like
the sun and the sea may be associated with beliefs about the afterlife. We have studied
the morphology and the representations of the Cycladic frying pan vessels that are found
in museums and in literature dating from the middle of the 4th millennium.
In this paper we argue that the Cycladic frying pan contain calendars that are not only
based on the periodicities of the Sun and Moon, but in a very advanced knowledge of the
movements of the planets, their periodicities in relation to the Earth and the phases of
Venus, which is used as calendar, as well as pregnancy and birth predictor calculator.