Dreamtime and the Seven Sisters - The World's oldest story is about Pleiades
Crecganford
27 min, 57 sec
An analysis of the Seven Sisters myth, its origins, and the astronomical evidence supporting its age.
Summary
- Discusses the global tale of the Seven Sisters and a hunter, often associated with the Pleiades constellation.
- Explores the similarities between Greek and Australian versions of the myth and the potential for a common origin.
- Investigates the astronomical phenomenon of the Pleiades being called Seven Sisters when typically only six stars are visible.
- Considers the possibility of the myth being as old as the human dispersal from Africa 70,000 years ago.
- Examines the academic skepticism and the need for better evidence to conclusively date the myth's origins.
Chapter 1
Introducing the ancient Seven Sisters story and its global presence.
- The Seven Sisters myth is one of the oldest known stories, featuring young women transformed into stars to escape a hunter.
- It is prevalent around the world, with the Greek version being the most famous, involving Orion chasing the daughters of Atlas.
- Mysteries include why the Pleiades are called the Seven Sisters when only six stars are visible and the myth's widespread nature.
Chapter 2
Examining the Pleiades constellation's astronomical significance and historical records.
- The Pleiades, young stars that appeared during the time of dinosaurs, have been recorded in human history since 2357 BCE.
- The earliest visual representation is thought to be on the Nebra disk, dated around 3600 years ago, found in Germany.
- The stars are surrounded by a blue nebula, indicative of their youth, and named after Greek mythological figures.
Chapter 3
Detailing the Greek myth involving Orion, the Pleiades, and Zeus's intervention.
- Orion, a giant hunter, chased the daughters of Atlas, leading them to seek Zeus's protection.
- Zeus turned the women into doves and then stars, placing them in the constellation of Taurus.
- Despite Zeus's aid, he seduced four sisters, and Orion was placed in the sky, perpetuating the chase in mythology.
Chapter 4
Exploring the myth's variations and common motifs in different cultures.
- Over 90 motifs incorporate the Seven Sisters in global mythology, collected and analyzed through a new database.
- Australian myths refer to the story as the Seven Sisters of Dreamtime, with their own unique cultural aspects and rituals.
- Despite varying names and details, the core elements of hunters chasing the women, often linked to Orion, remain consistent.
Chapter 5
Narrating the Australian Dreamtime story of the Seven Sisters and its connection to rituals.
- The sisters, made of ice, were pursued by the Belly Belly, who gifted them honey, and by an old ancestor who kidnapped two of them.
- The sisters' melting ice extinguished the ancestor's fire, prompting him to place them in the sky, where some shine brightly.
- This story is deeply ingrained in Australian culture, with rituals such as the coming of age ceremony tied to the Pleiades' appearance.
Chapter 6
Explaining the diverse names and stories of the Seven Sisters across Australian tribes.
- Different tribes have their own names and versions of the Seven Sisters myth, commonly involving elements of water like frost or ice.
- The stories are thought to date back to when humans first arrived in Australia, encapsulating cultural narratives and rituals.
- Despite the variations, the similarity to the Greek myth persists, including the association with Orion.
Chapter 7
Analyzing the likelihood of a shared origin for the myth between Greek and Australian cultures.
- Theories suggest a common origin for the myth if it is not a coincidence due to the shared motifs of the Pleiades and Orion.
- The possible ancient source of the myth predates European contact with Australia, implying a potential age of at least 70,000 years.
- The myth's widespread nature and the seven stars' visibility in the past lend some support to this hypothesis.
Chapter 8
Investigating why the Pleiades are called the Seven Sisters and the lost star phenomenon.
- Historical records suggest there were once seven visible stars, with many cultures developing myths to explain the now missing seventh.
- Astronomical evidence indicates the stars are variable in brightness and may have appeared differently in the past.
Chapter 9
Exploring the relationship between the Pleiades' historical visibility and human migration patterns.
- Astronomical mapping suggests that the cluster's stars may have been seen as seven separate stars up to 100,000 years ago.
- The timing correlates with the dispersal of humans from Africa, indicating that the myth could be very ancient.
- However, skepticism exists about the data's accuracy, and the myth's continuity over such a long time is debatable.
Chapter 10
Final thoughts on the evidence for the Seven Sisters myth's origin and its historical significance.
- The likelihood of a shared origin for the Greek and Australian myths is challenged by academic skepticism and the need for stronger evidence.
- While the motif of the Pleiades changing from seven to six stars may be ancient, the full narrative's origin remains uncertain.
- The question of whether the Seven Sisters story is the oldest in the world or over 50,000 years old cannot be conclusively answered with current evidence.
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