Chinese archaeologists excavating the tomb of the first emperor in Xian province recently discovered a cache of several thousand inscribed ox femurs, many of which recorded astronomical phenomena from 300 BC or even earlier.
Eclipses, both solar and lunar, the Vela supernova, and numerous guest stars (comets) were carefully recorded.
One set of inscriptions referred to even older oral traditions - from the era well before recorded history, or rather legends concerning the splitting of the human race from its ape cousins.
These latter beings, it is recorded, objected to banging stones together to make tools, and new fangled fire, or the wearing of skins to keep warm. In fact, it was only after much soul searching that these first conservationists retained the practise of grooming - searching each other's fur for fleas, ticks etc.
Subsequently, they went on to develop into Gorillas, chimps etc. The other group went on from stone to bronze, iron and Chinese cooking. The even older traditions refer to the moon as arriving as a guest star, with a fiery tail reaching from one horizon to the other, and how this came from afar and began to circle the earth, causing great earthquakes.
Many associated meteors were seen, and for the first time, ocean tides. The tail gradually dispersed but not before material from it pounded the moon, causing big flashes. Chinese dating of this event is tentative at this stage, but a period around 2 million years ago is being suggested.