Ancient Hindu text holds record of 6,000-year-old eclipse, astronomers say

Astronomers studying the Rig Veda, an ancient Hindu text, believe they have discovered the oldest known reference to a solar eclipse, dating back approximately 6,000 years. This finding highlights the long-standing fascination with celestial events and the valuable insights ancient texts can offer to modern astronomy.

The Rig Veda, a collection of hymns and verses from various philosophical and religious schools, was compiled around 1500 B.C. While it primarily focuses on spiritual matters, the text also contains references to historical events, some dating back centuries before its compilation.

Astronomers Mayank Vahia of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai and Mitsuru Soma of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan identified passages in the Rig Veda that describe the sun being "pierced" with darkness and its "magic arts" vanishing. These descriptions, devoid of the later Hindu mythology of Rahu and Ketu, suggest an observation of a solar eclipse predating those stories.

Further analysis of the passages, which mention the vernal equinox occurring in Orion and the eclipse happening three days before an autumnal equinox, allowed the astronomers to narrow down the potential timeframe.

Considering the location of the Rig Veda's writers and the requirement for a total solar eclipse, only two dates emerged as possibilities:

October 22, 4202 B.C.

October 19, 3811 B.C.

Both dates precede the current record holders for the oldest eclipse mentions: a Syrian clay tablet (either 1375 B.C. or 1223 B.C.) and an Irish rock carving (potentially 3340 B.C.).

This discovery underscores the enduring human fascination with eclipses and the valuable information ancient texts can provide about historical celestial events. The Rig Veda's reference serves as a testament to the keen observational skills of our ancestors and their ability to preserve knowledge through generations.