Inventing the myth of the flat earth

It is held that the Babylonians came up with the idea of the pythagorean theorem. I've not seen anything that accredits it to the Egyptians. The Greeks acknowledged the importance of Egyptian ideas. However the recent attempts to make Egypt the source of all knowledge by the afrocentrists seems out of place and a stretch.

What is your definition of evidence and proof. If some scientist says its so and another says it isnt, where are you?

If we were living in the flat earth times you would most like be the flat earth preacher saying there is no proof for a spherical planet. No offense, its what I gather from your posts. (its ok to dream a lil)

There is evidence that the Americas were known to the opposite continet but you seek not to agree and choose another group think and say that columbus was the first to discover america which evidence has shown to prove otherwise time and time again.

[edit on 15-11-2008 by IvanZana]

Howdy Ivan Zana

What is your definition of evidence and proof. If some scientist says its so and another says it isnt, where are you?

Hans: you look at the evidence and make up your own mind-what do you do when two fringe authors disagree?

If we were living in the flat earth times you would most like be the flat earth preacher saying there is no proof for a spherical planet. No offense, its what I gather from your posts. (its ok to dream a lil)

Hans: Nope I go with the evidence which even in pre-scientific times showed we had a spherical earth and that has been known for over 2400 years.

There is evidence that the Americas were known to the opposite continet
but you seek not to agree and choose another group think and say that columbus was the first to discover america which evidence has shown to prove otherwise time and time again.

Hans: I would disagree, the Indians were well aware of the Americas and despite coming from Asia were not aware of the old world. The Norse certainly discovered the Americas first (from the eurocentric viewpoint) - there is no question of that at all. The evidence for other before that is not compelling nor convincing. if a Roman wine ship did make it to the Americas or anybody else they left no evidence of their trip. That is what the evidence shows us.

Originally posted by Hanslune
Howdy Sky

Its interesting to watch how legends come and go, wax and wane. I've been meaning to look up how/when the Chinese and Indians came to view the world as spherical.

The Aitareya Brahmana (2.7) (c. 9th–8th century BC) also states:

"The Sun never sets nor rises. When people think the sun is setting, it is not so; they are mistaken. It only changes about after reaching the end of the day and makes night below and day to what is on the other side"
en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by psychedeliack


Thanks for that Psychedeliack

I would suspect the Babylonians or even the Sumerians had an idea about this too but they seemed to have officially gone for the flat disk floating in water model. Perhaps because they were not into seafaring to the extend the Greeks were.

Hey.
I have thought about all that flat earth myth and stumbled upon the Pangea myth here on ATS (world being 20k years old, Earth orbiting some unknown massive object (not the sun), all landmass concentrated on one side, no turning around axis, etc. - you get the idea.).

Nevermind all that, I just realized that the Land might once have been percieved as flat as there was only one piece (presumably), also the End of the World (as a place) also existed as there was only one world Ocean surounding that landmass (like in some myths/beliefs)
I know, it's only some wild speculation (considering Pangea existed some 300-180 millions yras ago), but it is a little entertaining, at least for me

Stand by the seashore and watch a ship come to shore-you'll quickly get the idea of curvature. You can also get a sense for it if you climb a mountain but the sea is the best way to observe it. Not to mention watching the shadow of the Earth on the Moon.

Pangea yep some interesting speculation, might make for some nice sci-fi.

All seafaring cultures have known the shape of the world.

The navigators and colonizers of Polynesia knew the world is round. Navigating by the stars and patterns of wind, currents, and waves, they explored and settled the vast Pacific ocean. On their journeys they were out of sight of land for weeks and months on end yet they were able to ply the same routes repeatedly.

They were looking for new lands, knowing that those lands had to be there. They did not fear "falling of the edge". They began their wandering and settling 2,000 years ago.

reply to post by Phage


An interesting question, did the Polynesians know the world was round? I cannot answer that but I would suspect that they noted the curvature but perhaps didn't equate that with the concept of a spherical world.

Let me research that the easy way by asking an expert on Polynesia.

i'm pretty baked but this is a damn good topic. perhaps the oldest conspiracy of all time was a world-wide cover up scaring its citizens of leaving the treacherous land by saying they will fall of the edge.

is that plausible?

reply to post by Nventual


Well the oldest (well one of the oldest) conspiracies was people saying they could speak to/understand/control the spirits/gods/demons...but I digress

Traveling at that time was very dangerous, besides not knowing where you were going, navigation was difficult and dealing with other people difficult. Many many cultures were hostile to strangers besides the wildlife and the lack of food technology to support rapid travel.

To have a conspiracy whose purpose was to cause people NOT to travel would have required a world wide communication system and administration, something not existence then but the flat earth, edge of the earth seems to be a common myth. However DNA shows that mankind wandered everywhere anyway!

reply to post by Hanslune


I thought the Polynesians had a very familiar heaven, earth, sea, under-world. I have a vague notion of Tangaroa presiding over the endless sea, but it's been some time since I've read anything on it, and a quick search reminds me that every island seemingly has its own (if clearly related) creation mythos.

I'd be interested in what you find out.

reply to post by _Del_


Yep, that question is why I read these types of boards. I've lived in Polynesia and am familair with a great deal of their science and myth and yet I couldn't answer that - I just love it when I find another area to look into. I'm gonna guess that the Polynesians never put it into myth but that somewhere someplace one of the alii came up with concept but not having any good way to record it. The idea was lost.