When the ancients laid out their cities or sites sometimes they delibrately aligned certain features to act primarily as calendrical devices to measure time and the seasons. In this way they could ensure a regularly calibrated agricultural harvest to feed their peoples. Oftentimes, they performed ritualistic ceremonies at auspicious times during the year. In some societies parchment records exist of their tracking capabilities
Some ancients tracked the Sun and Moon movements to predict solar and lunar eclipses and draw forecasts based on these omens, others tracked both stellar and planetary objects. There was a keen worship of the sun, moon and stars which ancient peoples took for Gods presiding over their affairs. No expense or time factor was too great a sacrifice to appease the 'Gods' and therefore vast stone structures were erected at 'sacred' locations around the globe. Structures which were probably governed by an elite learned echelon of initiates or 'scientifically' minded observers. By 'scientifically' minded we mean they encompassed both magic and religion into their brand of 'science'.