الوافي
29-03-06, 01:18
When solar fears eclipse reason
[فقط الأعضاء المسجلين والمفعلين يمكنهم رؤية الوصلات]
Once feared, eclipses are now often eagerly anticipated
Solar eclipses are nowadays major tourist attractions, but in ancient times, they were events of ill omen, to be dreaded and feared.
While scientific knowledge has explained the phenomenon, some superstitions continue to hold sway.
An eclipse in Nigeria in 2001 was seen by Muslim youths as anger from god for sinful activities.
An eclipse in Nigeria in 2001 was seen by Muslim youths as anger from god for sinful activities.
And the ancient belief that an eclipse presaged war and devastation is still preached by some mystics in India.
A belief persists in India that all cooked food left uneaten during an eclipse should be given away, as it will have become impure.
A superstition with rather more common sense behind it holds that anyone holding a knife during an eclipse will cut themselves.
Find out more about the route of the eclipse across the Earth
More details
Pregnancy has been a particularly fecund source of superstitions.
One has it that if a pregnant woman goes out during an eclipse, her baby will be born blind or with a cleft lip.
[فقط الأعضاء المسجلين والمفعلين يمكنهم رؤية الوصلات]
Another says that a pregnant woman should not touch her belly during a lunar eclipse, or she will cause the baby to be born with a birthmark.
Ignorance breeds fear
For most of human history, people did not understand what an eclipse was.
It is a terror that goes back thousands of years, with references in the Old Testament and ancient Greek and Mesopotamian literature.
The ancient Chinese believed that solar eclipses were caused by a dragon trying to swallow the Sun.
Eclipses are common, but mostly happen over uninhabited regions
To this day, the Chinese for a solar eclipse is "resh" or "Sun-eat".
If they knew an eclipse was coming, the Chinese would shoot fireworks and bang gongs to scare it away.
[فقط الأعضاء المسجلين والمفعلين يمكنهم رؤية الوصلات]
The Vikings believed two wolves ran after the Sun and the Moon, and that an eclipse happened when they caught up with their prey.
They, too, would make as much noise as possible to scare off the beasts.
[فقط الأعضاء المسجلين والمفعلين يمكنهم رؤية الوصلات]
Once feared, eclipses are now often eagerly anticipated
Solar eclipses are nowadays major tourist attractions, but in ancient times, they were events of ill omen, to be dreaded and feared.
While scientific knowledge has explained the phenomenon, some superstitions continue to hold sway.
An eclipse in Nigeria in 2001 was seen by Muslim youths as anger from god for sinful activities.
An eclipse in Nigeria in 2001 was seen by Muslim youths as anger from god for sinful activities.
And the ancient belief that an eclipse presaged war and devastation is still preached by some mystics in India.
A belief persists in India that all cooked food left uneaten during an eclipse should be given away, as it will have become impure.
A superstition with rather more common sense behind it holds that anyone holding a knife during an eclipse will cut themselves.
Find out more about the route of the eclipse across the Earth
More details
Pregnancy has been a particularly fecund source of superstitions.
One has it that if a pregnant woman goes out during an eclipse, her baby will be born blind or with a cleft lip.
[فقط الأعضاء المسجلين والمفعلين يمكنهم رؤية الوصلات]
Another says that a pregnant woman should not touch her belly during a lunar eclipse, or she will cause the baby to be born with a birthmark.
Ignorance breeds fear
For most of human history, people did not understand what an eclipse was.
It is a terror that goes back thousands of years, with references in the Old Testament and ancient Greek and Mesopotamian literature.
The ancient Chinese believed that solar eclipses were caused by a dragon trying to swallow the Sun.
Eclipses are common, but mostly happen over uninhabited regions
To this day, the Chinese for a solar eclipse is "resh" or "Sun-eat".
If they knew an eclipse was coming, the Chinese would shoot fireworks and bang gongs to scare it away.
[فقط الأعضاء المسجلين والمفعلين يمكنهم رؤية الوصلات]
The Vikings believed two wolves ran after the Sun and the Moon, and that an eclipse happened when they caught up with their prey.
They, too, would make as much noise as possible to scare off the beasts.