The Southern Cross was an important symbol for the Egyptians, as it represented the place where Horus, the Sun-goddess, was crucified, marking the passage of winter.
The Incas knew the Southern Cross as “Chakana” – stair – and it played an important part in Incan mysticism, symbolizing the three tiers of the world: the heavens, the world of the living, and the underworld.
The Southern Cross was visible in the northern hemisphere around 5,000 years ago. People in most of North America, Babylonia, and Greece could view it easily.