A very surprising celestial map drawn on elk skin continues to intrigue researchers nearly a century after its rediscovery. This exceptional document, known as the Pawnee Star Chart after a Native American people, offers rare testimony to the astronomical knowledge of North America's indigenous populations.
This remarkable work was discovered in 1902 by James Murie, an anthropologist of Skiri Pawnee origin, within a traditional sacred bundle. Entrusted to the Field Museum of Chicago, the chart measures approximately 15 by 22 inches (38 by 56 centimeters) and features numerous hand-drawn stars. The initial analysis by Ralph Buckstaff, published in American Anthropologist in 1927, revealed that the artifact likely dated from the early 17th century, testifying to an ancient astronomical tradition.
The Pawnee star chart on elk skin, a unique artifact of Native American astronomy Amateur astronomer Buckstaff interpreted the arrangement of stars as representing the night sky of the northern hemisphere, with a central line possibly symbolizing the Milky Way. He identified winter constellations on the left and summer constellations on the right, showing that the Pawnee had observed the seasonal movement of celestial bodies. However, this direct astronomical reading was later challenged by subsequent research.
Astronomer Von Del Chamberlain, in his book When Stars Came Down to Earth published in 1982, proposed a radically different interpretation. After studying Murie's journals and Pawnee traditions, he claimed that the chart was not used as an observation guide but rather constituted a conceptual representation of the cosmos, probably used by priests as part of star worship.
Anthropologist Douglas Parks, a Pawnee specialist, supported this view in a response published in 1985. He explained that the artifact likely functioned as a mnemonic device helping knowledge keepers recount the Skiri world creation myth. Thus, the chart served as a narrative support rather than a precise astronomical record, integrating mythological and cosmological dimensions.
Despite persistent uncertainties about its exact dating and complete meaning, the Pawnee Star Chart remains a privileged object of study for understanding Native American indigenous knowledge systems. Its uniqueness lies in its nature as the only known representation of stars on a material support in precolonial North America, offering a unique window into the relationship between astronomy and spirituality.
Cultural astronomy of indigenous peoples
The study of astronomical knowledge in traditional societies reveals elaborate systems integrating celestial observations and worldviews. These knowledges, transmitted orally or through artifacts like the Pawnee chart, show how different cultures developed their own methods for understanding and interpreting the cosmos.
Indigenous peoples often established correlations between celestial phenomena and earthly cycles, using stars to mark seasons, guide movements, or determine planting periods. These practical knowledges were frequently accompanied by symbolic and religious dimensions, where celestial bodies were perceived as living entities or divine manifestations.
Unlike modern Western astronomy which separates science and spirituality, many indigenous traditions viewed the sky as an indivisible whole with the earth and human beings. This holistic vision is reflected in creation myths where stars often play a central role in the origin of the world and social organization.
The preservation of these traditional knowledges today represents an important issue for human cognitive diversity, presenting alternative perspectives on our relationship with the universe.