PARAPEGM Meaning and
Definition
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A parapegm refers to a type of ancient astronomical or calendar device used primarily in Greece and Rome. Serving as a combination of a sundial and a calendar, it consists of a stone or wooden slab with notable markings and inscriptions. These inscriptions include the positions of celestial bodies, especially the rising and setting times of stars, constellations, or the sun. Additionally, they record important agricultural or seasonal events such as the solstices, equinoxes, or specific cultural dates.
The purpose of a parapegm was to aid in tracking time, predicting celestial events, and planning agricultural activities or religious ceremonies. It allowed individuals to chart the changing positions of stars and predict specific astronomical events, which was especially useful for farming and navigation. It allowed farmers to synchronize their activities with the changing seasons, optimizing crop cultivation. They could also use this knowledge for regulating irrigation systems, determining the best times for sowing seeds, or understanding the optimal periods for harvesting.
The word "parapegm" is derived from the Greek word "para," meaning "beside" or "alongside," and the word "pegma," meaning "record" or "inscription." Together, these elements signify an object with inscriptions or engraved marks alongside a central element.
Although no longer in common use today, parapegms were highly significant and valuable in ancient societies, providing people with both practical and symbolic knowledge about celestial movements and the cyclical nature of time.
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In anc. times, a brazen tablet on which laws, proclamations, &c., were inscribed and exposed to public view.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for PARAPEGM
- oarapegm
- larapegm
- -arapegm
- 0arapegm
- pzrapegm
- psrapegm
- pwrapegm
- pqrapegm
- paeapegm
- padapegm
- pafapegm
- patapegm
- pa5apegm
- pa4apegm
- parzpegm
- parspegm
- parwpegm
- parqpegm
- paraoegm
- paralegm
Etymology of PARAPEGM
The word "Parapegm" is derived from the ancient Greek word "parapegma" (παράπηγμα), which means "an engraving" or "an astronomical register". The term was used in ancient Greece and Rome to refer to an instrument or tablet with holes or pegs through which one could mark or predict astronomical events, such as the rising and setting of stars, phases of the moon, and the changing of seasons. The word "parapegma" itself is believed to have originated from the Greek verb "parapipto" (παραπίπτω), which means "to fall from beside" or "to be written upon".
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