DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41589#0013
Jerzy Dobrzycki
Warsaw
Two Dimensions of the Mediaeval Universe
The woodcut reproduced here (Fig. 1) is a common feature in popular books on
astronomy. It was reproduced many times as the work of a mediaeval artist and as
representation of the mediaeval view of the universe and man’s place in it.
It violates many concepts, well established in the mediaeval European philosophy of
nature. Twenty years ago Bruno Weber has traced the origin of the drawing, which
appeared for the first time 100 years ago in a book by the famous scientific writer,
Camille Flammarion. For all its more or less obvious errors, the faked woodcut can at
least claim merit for the attempt (presumably inadvertent) at presentation of two
distinct but complementary visions of the universe present in European culture:
a primordial perception of the local environment, and the cosmology of the learned
— a sophisticated geometric structure of the universe of the philosophers and
mathematicians-practitioners.
The former comprised the visible world of the closest vicinity as perceived since
times immemorial: it is limited by the horizon and by the (approximately) spherical
vault of the sky. The universe of the learned was an amalgamate of Aristotelian
philosophy of nature with the mathematical astronomy of late Alexandrine and
mediaeval Islamic scientists. It was a hierarchic structure composed of perfect spheres,
arranged concentrically around the spherical Earth and carrying all the celestial bodies
in a perfect uniform circular motion1.
In general, authentic drawings such as fourteenth century scheme of the universe
surrounded by angelic choirs (Fig. 2) or a Cracow 16th century woodcut (Fig. 3) were
quite accurate in rendering the Aristotelian principles of the constitution of the universe.
Also the detailed geometrical models used in medieval astronomy to explain and to
represent precisely the actual motions of the heavenly bodies were far removed from the
strange contraptions admired by the pilgrim of the art nouveau drawing2.
The complex regularities of motions of the heavenly spheres are perceived and
observed within the ’’local universe”. Of special importance was whatever occurred at
the horizon. In fact, observing and registering events at the horizon formed the initial
phase of systematic astronomical records in the oldest scientific cultures such as those of
Mesopotamia or Egypt. The rising and setting of the Sun and Moon were the most
conspicuous (and easiest to observe); they provided orientation in space by marking the
geographical directions; their cyclic recurrence gave a foundation for the calendar. The
regular appearance of Venus as the morning and evening star provided a strong
stimulus for the development of mathematical planetary astronomy.
Finally, the system of local time and space coordinates was necessary to read the
11
Warsaw
Two Dimensions of the Mediaeval Universe
The woodcut reproduced here (Fig. 1) is a common feature in popular books on
astronomy. It was reproduced many times as the work of a mediaeval artist and as
representation of the mediaeval view of the universe and man’s place in it.
It violates many concepts, well established in the mediaeval European philosophy of
nature. Twenty years ago Bruno Weber has traced the origin of the drawing, which
appeared for the first time 100 years ago in a book by the famous scientific writer,
Camille Flammarion. For all its more or less obvious errors, the faked woodcut can at
least claim merit for the attempt (presumably inadvertent) at presentation of two
distinct but complementary visions of the universe present in European culture:
a primordial perception of the local environment, and the cosmology of the learned
— a sophisticated geometric structure of the universe of the philosophers and
mathematicians-practitioners.
The former comprised the visible world of the closest vicinity as perceived since
times immemorial: it is limited by the horizon and by the (approximately) spherical
vault of the sky. The universe of the learned was an amalgamate of Aristotelian
philosophy of nature with the mathematical astronomy of late Alexandrine and
mediaeval Islamic scientists. It was a hierarchic structure composed of perfect spheres,
arranged concentrically around the spherical Earth and carrying all the celestial bodies
in a perfect uniform circular motion1.
In general, authentic drawings such as fourteenth century scheme of the universe
surrounded by angelic choirs (Fig. 2) or a Cracow 16th century woodcut (Fig. 3) were
quite accurate in rendering the Aristotelian principles of the constitution of the universe.
Also the detailed geometrical models used in medieval astronomy to explain and to
represent precisely the actual motions of the heavenly bodies were far removed from the
strange contraptions admired by the pilgrim of the art nouveau drawing2.
The complex regularities of motions of the heavenly spheres are perceived and
observed within the ’’local universe”. Of special importance was whatever occurred at
the horizon. In fact, observing and registering events at the horizon formed the initial
phase of systematic astronomical records in the oldest scientific cultures such as those of
Mesopotamia or Egypt. The rising and setting of the Sun and Moon were the most
conspicuous (and easiest to observe); they provided orientation in space by marking the
geographical directions; their cyclic recurrence gave a foundation for the calendar. The
regular appearance of Venus as the morning and evening star provided a strong
stimulus for the development of mathematical planetary astronomy.
Finally, the system of local time and space coordinates was necessary to read the
11