[meteorite-list] meteorites, stone axes, and Hounds of Heaven

From: Sterling K. Webb <kelly_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Sep 14 21:10:43 2005
Message-ID: <4328C9ED.77699176_at_bhil.com>

Hi,


    The name "thunderstone" derives from a belief in
their heavenly origin. Both meteorites and neolithic
tools were called "thunderstones."
    This theory held that meteorites somehow formed
in the sky during violent thunderstorms. Proponents of
this idea suggested that particles inside the clouds
consolidated because of the heat during a lighting
flash. For this reason meteorites were sometimes
referred to as thunderstones.
    We can see, in the Chinese example, meteorites
being described as if they were primitive tools.
    A nice, though old, history of beliefs concerning
neolithic tools as "thunderstones" and the history of
their early scientific identification can be found in:
<http://cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/White/antiquity/thunder.html>
    "From a very early period there had been dug
from the earth, in various parts of the world,
strangely shaped masses of stone, some rudely
chipped, some polished: in ancient times the
larger of these were very often considered as
thunderbolts, the smaller as arrows, and all
of them as weapons which had been hurled by
the gods and other supernatural personages.
Hence a sort of sacredness attached to them.
In Chaldea, they were built into the wall of
temples; in Egypt, they were strung about the
necks of the dead. In India, fine specimens
are to this day seen upon altars, receiving
prayers and sacrifices."


Sterling K. Webb
------------------------------------------------
drtanuki wrote:

> Dear List and Chris,
>
> Todays research results from ancient Chinese
> literature:
>
> Ref: Needham, Vol.III, 20. Astronomy, pg. 434
>
> "Meteorites had many other names in Chinese books
> besides the yun already mentioned, or yun-shih.
> Further information is contained in a valuable chapter
> by Chang Hung-Chao, who points out that one of the
> oldest names must be that contained in the Shan Hai
> Ching (Ch. 16), namely thien Chhuan, `hounds of
> heaven`. He also notes that meteorites were often
> confused (as in other civilisations) with stone axes
> of the Neolithic period. There is a reference to this
> in the Chiu Thang Shu (Old History of the Thang
> Dynasty), where, about +660, a meteorite presented to
> the emperor was called `the stone axe of the
> thunder-god` (Lei Kung Shih Fu). Other names were
> `the thunder-god`s ink block_at_ (lei mo) or
> `thunder-lumps` (phi li chen), and it is these which
> formed the headings under which Li Shen-Chen in th
> +16th century treated meteorites in his Pen Tshao Kang
> Mu."
>
> Best, Dirk Ross...Tokyo
>
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Received on Wed 14 Sep 2005 09:10:05 PM PDT