Nabta Playa Stone Circle

The oldest known astronomical observatory in the world. This stone circle in the Nubian Desert predates Stonehenge by ~2000 years. Alignments track the summer solstice and stars including those in Orion. Located 100 km west of Abu Simbel, it proves that sophisticated astronomical knowledge existed in the region well before the pyramid age. Some researchers suggest it represents the astronomical tradition that eventually produced the Giza complex.