Dear Frans and All,
thanks for you answer. I know that the language is a great problem for the full knowledgment of our arguments. Like you, I have great difficulty to read long paper written in english or other language. I am sorry also for this message I am writing in my bad english... In relation to Augustus sundial, I believe a foundamental point: at today and in order at all historical and archaeological informations we have about the Augustus Sundial, we are not able (or we cannot to do) to be sure on the real design of this sundial. Kircher and more other ancient authors written it is a great and complete sundials. Buchner have found only a meridian line, but with more references on calendarial things. Today is impossible a mmaninary vision of a complete sundial with this enourmus dimensions, but a time of Augustus Rome have a more space structure and a great sundial like this can be possible. A question more important is the ubication of meridian line with the equinoctial line directed to Ara Pacis. It is not a case the posizion of Ara Pacis and i not believe Augustus building onlu a meridian line for his megalomania dreams. But I was very surprised to see missing my book, in which I written the history of this subject, the relations about calculations of high of obelisk, the position, the analysis of words from several manuscripts (who is Facundi Novus?), probably him not exist.... But, I am sorry because I have see that most more italian gnomonica pubblications is not in consideration from the gnomonic world people which not read the italian. Also my friend and phisician Edmondo Marianeschi have published many time ago a important article about this subject in the memories of Italian Gnomonic meeting, but also this work is missing in your bibliography. Patience...hope the gnomonic will be able, a day, to meet toghether all people and all language... The best wishes Nicola Severino ----- Original Message ----- From: "Frans W. Maes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "nicola severino" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Sundial List" <sundial@rrz.uni-koeln.de> Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 8:57 AM Subject: Re: The sundial of Emperor Augustus - english translation > Dear Nicola and all, > > Thanks to Jack Aubert I can respond to your posting. I often regret being > unable to read Italian or Spanish, as so many important gnomonic > publications appear in these languages! > > The primary aim of my article on the sundial of emperor Augustus was to > bring the important paper by Michael Schütz (published in 1990) to the > attention of the gnomonic community. In addition, I reviewed the further > goings of Buchners story. > > Around 1980, prof. Edmund Buchner excavated part of a meridian line > constructed a century after Augustus erected an Egyptian obelisk in the Mars > Field in Rome. He hypothesized that Augustus constructed a huge sundial and > argued that a centimeter-precise topographical relationship existed between > the sundial and the nearby Ara Pacis (peace altar). Schütz showed that > Buchners assumptions on the height of the obelisk were mostly unjustified > and that his calculations of the position of the obelisk and the sundial > layout were incorrect. > > Schütz' paper (in German) apparently was unknown in gnomonics, so that > Buchners speculative hypothesis was considered a proven fact. The only > author who knew Schütz article (and agreed) was Karlheinz Schaldach. The > "bird's eye perspective" argument comes from his book on Roman sundials. > > Schütz is is also missing from the bibliography in your 1997 article (which > I downloaded but unfortunately cannot read). When I contacted you last > November to get your opinion on Schütz' criticism, I was very sorry that the > language problem prevented a fruitful communication. Still, I am looking > forward to your evaluation of Schütz' - in my view convincing - arguments. > > Best regards, > Frans Maes > > > > - -
