Rock paintings excluded, the Nebra Sky Disk is one of the oldest depiction of the heavenly phenomena we know of. It was buried in the ground some 3600 years ago, but at the time it had already been in use for an unknown time period. The disk itself is nowadays in a museum in Halle (I have to visit that, too), but its history is very well explained in Arche Nebra, where I was today.
There are not too many things that make me feel sentimental or cry. Nebra Sky Disk is one of them. Maybe it has to do with my astronomy interest, an ongoing saga for the last 25 years or so. Still, when I think of the disk, I feel connection with those people thousands of years ago. They also looked up to the sky in awe, trying to fathom what that all meant. I think of all those years the disk spent under the soil before it was found - straight to our time. Its shape and symbols are so unique for that time period, that one can only wonder if the smith was a genius or a lunatic. But talking about design, Nebra Sky Disk really is one of a kind. Whoever the smith was, I bet he didn't count his design being fresh almost 4000 years later...
Arche Nebra visitor centrum
I, too, have an affinity to astronomy, and hope to visit this place one day. I think, for me, something that really stands out about the making of the disc, is how it highlights the value of observation in life (and in science). Without keen observation, the disc wouldn't have the actuate 82 degree angle created by the summer and winter solstice on it. Simply awesome.
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