in design: ancient

pyramid The Great Pyramid of Giza

Some say the Golden Ratio was known as far back as 2500 BCE and used in the design of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
[8]

in design: ancient

pyramid The Great Pyramid of Giza

Indeed, the ratio of half the base to the pyramid's slant height is within 1% of the Golden Ratio.
[8]

in design: ancient

pyramid The Great Pyramid of Giza

And if you look hard enough you can find Pi in the pyramids. And Elvis. There's no credible evidence the Egyptians were conscious of it.
[8]

The key word is DESIGN.

in design: ancient

pyramid The Greek Parthenon

Some say the Golden Ratio was used in the design of the Greek Parthenon.[8]

From their construction of the regular pentagon, Pythagoreans knew of the Golden Ratio long before the Parthenon was built.[8],[9]

in design: ancient

pyramid
This image copyright {year} whoever owns it.
The Greek Parthenon

Indeed, if you look at it from the right angle and squint, it appears that it fits inside a Golden Rectangle.

Except for the steps...

in design: ancient

pyramid
This image copyright {year} whoever owns it.
The Greek Parthenon

...or in this case including part of, but not all of, the steps.

These are non-trivial differences in measurement.

in design: ancient

The Greek Parthenon

In his article titled Misconceptions about the Golden Ratio from the January 1992 College Mathematics Journal, Dr. George Markowsky writes:[8]


Markowsky "None of these authors [are] bothered by the fact that parts of the Parthenon are outside the golden rectangle."

and

"The dimensions of the Parthenon vary from source to source probably because different authors are measuring from different points. With so many numbers available, a golden ratio enthusiast could choose whatever numbers gave the best result."

in design: ancient

Ancient Structures in General

  • Mystic nutjobs think: The golden ratio shows up everywhere!

  • Dr. George Markowsky thinks: Their evidence is dubious.

  • I think: Any fool can find patterns in coincidence if he really wants
    to believe something.

in design: ancient

stonehenge
Photo by Frédéric Vincent.
Stonehenge

During my studies, I learned something mysterious about Stonehenge.

in design: ancient

stonehenge
Photo by Frédéric Vincent. Golden rectangle by ME.
Stonehenge

OMG!!!1 IT FITS INSIDE THE GOLDEN RECT ANGLE

in design: ancient



  • The idea that the Golden Ratio was used in ancient architecture is dubious at best.

     
  • Even Fibonacci wasn't aware of the connection between the Golden Ratio
    and his sequence in the 13th century.

     
  • After the time of the Pythagoreans, the Golden Ratio fades to
    obscurity in history until the Renaissance.[3]

in design: renaissance

luca
Luca Pacioli
  • the Golden Ratio resurfaces around the turn of the 16th century when Luca Pacioli publishes De Divina Proportione.[3],[10]

  • De Divina Proportione literally means "The Divine Proportion."

  • This influential book was focused on what has come to be known as the Golden Ratio.[3],[10]

  • Pacioli collaborated and lived with Leonardo Da Vinci,[11] who illustrated De Divina Proportione.[8]

  • Da Vinci was interested in both math and art.[10]

in design: renaissance

luca
The Mona Lisa
  • Da Vinci is thought by some to have used the Golden Ratio in works such as The Vitruvian Man and The Mona Lisa.[3],[12]

  • Whether or not he actually did use the Golden Ratio in his art is widely disputed.[8],[3]

  • If he did, you'd think his canvases would be Golden rectangles, but what do I know?

  • Yet another example of the overabundant hype and hoopla surrounding the Golden Ratio and Fibonacci Sequence. This is getting old. I'm through with this section. So much for design.

    But it gets worse...
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