Exploring the Universe through Pollen and Parasite Eggs from Ancient Sites

The Silla Capital Key Heritage Sites Restoration and Maintenance Project Group (Director Kim Chang-Kwon) under the Cultural Heritage Administration together with the Center for Archaeoastronomy of the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (Director Yang Hong-Jin) will host the 2024 International Symposium on Archaeoastronomy from July 10 to 11 at the Hwangridan-gil Life Culture Center in Gyeongju. Additionally on July 10 at 7 PM an astronomy storytelling concert and observation event will take place around Cheomseongdae.

This symposium aims to highlight the historical and cultural value of archaeoastronomical assets in Sillas capital centering on Cheomseongdae and to explore future utilization methods. The National Treasure Cheomseongdae in Gyeongju believed to have been built during the reign of Queen Seondeok (632-647) is known as the oldest astronomical observatory in the East.

The first session on the morning of July 10 will feature five presentations:

History of Korean Astronomy (Park Chang-Bum Korea Institute for Advanced Study)
Ancient Chinese Dousha Astronomical Sites and Recent Archaeological Astronomy Research (Li Zheng National Astronomical Observatories of China)
Sunrise and Sunset Times on the Official Calendar of the Meiji Era (Mitsuru Soma National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)
Directional Alignment Criteria in Thai Buddhist Temples (Oraphin Ruyaprao National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand)
Traditional Maori Calendar and Climate Change (Pauline Harris Massey University New Zealand)
The second session in the afternoon will include three presentations focusing on domestic research on Gyeongju Cheomseongdae from an astronomical perspective:

Value and Perception Changes of Cheomseongdae (Cha Soon-Chul Seorabeol Cultural Heritage Research Institute)
Silla Astronomy and Cheomseongdae (Yang Hong-Jin Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute)
Role of Cheomseongdae for Utilizing Astronomical Content (Park Im-Gwan Gyeongju Cultural Center)
The third session on the morning of July 11 will feature six presentations on astronomical records and observations from Korea Thailand and Japan:

Comet Observation Records of the Joseon Royal Family in the 18th Century (Yang Hong-Jin Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute)
Long-term Solar Cycle Using Historical Records (Hisashi Hayakawa Nagoya University Japan)
Calendar Date Verification from the Inscriptions of Banteay Srei (Chotsak Sari Chiang Mai University Thailand)
Four Calculation Methods for Solar and Lunar Eclipses in the Chungsoodaemyeongryeok (Choi Go-Eun Chungbuk National University)
Change in Earths Rotation Speed in the Mid-1st Century (Kiyotaka Tanikawa National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)
Calculation of Lunar Motions in the Sungjeongyeokseo (Choi Seung-Eon Seoul National University)
The fourth and final session in the afternoon will include a lecture by Lee Yong-Bok Director of Sonam Astronomy History Research Institute and presentations by researchers from the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute on the history and value of Korean archaeoastronomy.

On the evening of July 10 from 7 PM to 9 PM an astronomy storytelling concert and observation event titled Moonlit Night in Gyeongju: Exploring the Universe at Cheomseongdae will be held around Cheomseongdae. The event will be hosted by the science communicator “Earth” known for science lectures and broadcasts. It will feature an engaging lecture by Yang Hong-Jin on the constellations of the past and present along with the opportunity to observe the moon and stars through small telescopes with constellation explanations. Participation is available through on-site registration without prior application.

The event may be postponed in case of rain (For inquiries about changes: ☎054-777-6726)
The Cultural Heritage Administration will incorporate the discussions from this international symposium into the preservation and utilization of Cheomseongdae further enhancing the historical value and significance of this national heritage. The administration plans to continue actively facilitating scholarly exchanges among domestic and international experts on key Silla capital heritage sites.

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