Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Astronomers examining the Rig Veda, an ancient Hindu text, identified references to a total solar eclipse dating back approximately 6,000 years, making it the oldest known mention of an eclipse.
The Rig Veda, a compilation of hymns and religious sayings from around 1500 B.C., contains descriptions of historical events, some of which predate its compilation by thousands of years.
Passages in the Rig Veda describe the location of the rising sun during the vernal equinox in constellations such as Orion and the Pleiades, allowing astronomers to date these events.
The text poetically describes the sun being “pierced” with darkness and attributes the event to the actions of evil beings, matching the characteristics of a total solar eclipse.
The eclipse occurred when the vernal equinox was in Orion and took place just three days before an autumnal equinox, narrowing down the time frame to around 4202 B.C. or 3811 B.C.
This discovery predates previous records of eclipses, such as a clay tablet from Syria (1375 B.C. or 1223 B.C.) and a rock carving in Ireland (3340 B.C.).
The discovery underscores the fascination ancient civilizations had with solar eclipses and highlights the value of historical texts in expanding modern understanding of celestial events.