Download or read book Archaeoastronomy written by Giulio Magli and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-09-28 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a second edition of a textbook that provides the first comprehensive, easy-to-read, and up-to-date account of the fascinating discipline of archaeoastronomy, in which the relationship between ancient constructions and the sky is studied in order to gain a better understanding of the ideas of the architects of the past and of their religious and symbolic worlds. The book is divided into three sections, the first of which explores the past relations between astronomy and people, power, the afterworld, architecture, and landscape. The second part then discusses in detail the fundamentals of archaeoastronomy, including the celestial coordinates; the apparent motion of the sun, moon, stars, and planets; observation of celestial bodies at the horizon; the use of astronomical software in archaeoastronomy; and current methods for making and analyzing measurements. The final section reviews what archaeoastronomy can now tell us about the nature and purpose of such sites and structures as Stonehenge, the Pyramids of Giza, Chichen Itza, the Angkor Temples, the Campus Martius, and the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento. In addition, it provides a set of exercises that can be performed using non-commercial free software, e.g., Google Earth and Stellarium, and that will equip readers to conduct their own research. This new edition features a completely new chapter on archaeoastronomy in Asia and an “augmented reality” framework, which on the one hand enhances the didactic value of the book using direct links to the relevant sections of the author’s MOOC (online) lessons and, on the other, allows readers to directly experience – albeit virtually –many of the spectacular archaeological sites described in the book. This is an ideal introduction to what has become a wide-ranging multidisciplinary science.

Download or read book Exploring Ancient Skies written by David H. Kelley and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2005-12-06 with total page 623 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Exploring Ancient Skies brings together the methods of archaeology and the insights of modern astronomy to explore the science of astronomy as it was practiced in various cultures prior to the invention of the telescope. The book reviews an enormous and growing body of literature on the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, the Far East, and the New World (particularly Mesoamerica), putting the ancient astronomical materials into their archaeological and cultural contexts. The authors begin with an overview of the field and proceed to essential aspects of naked-eye astronomy, followed by an examination of specific cultures. The book concludes by taking into account the purposes of ancient astronomy: astrology, navigation, calendar regulation, and (not least) the understanding of our place and role in the universe. Skies are recreated to display critical events as they would have appeared to ancient observers - events such as the supernova of 1054, the 'lion horoscope' or the 'Star of Bethlehem.' Exploring Ancient Skies provides a comprehensive overview of the relationships between astronomy and other areas of human investigation. It will be useful as a reference for scholars and students in both astronomy and archaeology, and will be of compelling interest to readers who seek a broad understanding of our collective intellectual history.

Download or read book Archaeoastronomy in the Roman World written by Giulio Magli and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-03-27 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the insights that Cultural Astronomy provides into the classical Roman world by unveiling the ways in which the Romans made use of their knowledge concerning the heavens, and by shedding new light on the interactions between astronomy and heritage in ancient Roman culture. Leading experts in the field present fascinating information on how and why the Romans referred to the sky when deciding upon the orientation of particular monuments, temples, tombs and even urban layouts. Attention is also devoted to questions of broader interest, such as the contribution that religious interpretation of the sky made in the assimilation of conquered peoples. When one considers astronomy in the Roman world it is customary to think of the work and models of Ptolemy, and perhaps the Julian calendar or even the sighting of the Star of Bethlehem. However, like many other peoples in antiquity, the Romans interacted with the heavens in deeper ways that exerted a profound influence on their culture. This book highlights the need to take this complexity into account in various areas of research and will appeal to all those who wish to learn more about the application of astronomy in the lives and architecture of the Romans.

Download or read book Archaeo Astronometria written by Dean Clarke and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2008-10-23 with total page 139 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There have been many books on the origin of astronomy some good and some very poorly address the issues of ancient mans interests in the stars. The ancient Sumer and Egyptian notions of music mostly confirms how ancient this notion is in their chorded progressions of tone. This notion is more an Upper Paleolithic celestial idea. In a sense man during this time man was beginning to have a concept of north, south, east and west in spatial terms. It involves the curvature of the ribs of Nut the Egyptian Sky Goddess as a ribbed vaulted sky, and sometimes in a horizon sense of a bowing arch of a stars path, or the curve of a bone in the stars moving path. The half way point of this fall for say our Nut, Adam and Eve would thus be about 27,000 BC which falls in a significant period Ice Age re-emergence and a deserts expanding in equator regions. These are only a small part of what had to addressed in origins of night sky studies. The point being this piece as fake or not is that the components of the animals, man, plants and mans artifacts were very early on displayed. We might ask in such a condition what was their night sky? If we look at all of these constellations they fall below the Celestial Equator in the South Pole region mostly. It would seem that all these birds to them being placed in the night sky like the stars and as they watched what directions the birds along with stars as to where they went in order to ascertain their relations to dusk or dawn night sky. What caused the South Africa plight of 80,000 BC? The Antarctica had been growing ice forms from 170,000 BC to 80,000 BC towards the north, and then around 70,000 BC there seemed to be a melting trend back south. In an astronomy sense we can thank him for larger game entering in the pantheon of the constellations, or the leaf, otter, and some constellations lost to time like the mammoths. What does this have to do with constellations, taboos, or the advent of Cro-Magnon man well in the depictions of constellation images? Slowly from east to west the stars move, but then it did not take man not long after 70,000 BC to note that some planets or stars seemed to move retrograde in the night sky? This book address what ideas did they show or have before or after these earth changes. As ideas such as: "Maybe, it was a lasso constellation for some animals capture as a God of Capture." And, "Somewhere around the time of 50,000 BC in the region of northern England to the region above the Black Sea there occurred a melting phase between the ice ages and cultures began to spread". The evidence of this is found by different locations in Europe and Central Europe of the use of rock shadows, stars noted by hands in movement, and certain hand symbols by star images or dots as stars not just stab marks. Ironic again that Man beside Woman on the pole treetop does not have strong reminders of the Adam-Eve Tree and the Serpent as maybe Draco? The symbol anciently always shows the snake at the foot of the tree or ascended the tree at the apex of the trunk which if astronomy wise would mean an ascended constellation to the Zenith or the Pole! Draco thus deposed Adam and Eve from their own constellation garden and domain by it ascending as an ancient Pole Axis Mundi? Thus the smoke screen really is a tied between this local area of France and Late Paleolithic Mans ideas of that region in the night sky of a certain year or month period of hunting. Although we have jumped forward in the time of ancient astronomy beginnings in a way really in this sense we have not. To the real beginnings of little known ancient astronomy.

Download or read book The Light The Stones and The Sacred written by Andrea Orlando and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-05-27 with total page 245 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book addresses a variety of topics within the growing discipline of Archaeoastronomy, focusing especially on Archaeoastronomy in Sicily and the Mediterranean and Cultural Astronomy. A further priority is discussion of the astronomical and statistical methods used today to ascertain the degree of reliability of the chronological and cultural definition of sites and artifacts of archaeoastronomical interest. The contributions were all delivered at the XVth Congress of the Italian Society of Archaeoastronomy (SIA), held under the rubric "The Light, the Stones and the Sacred" – a theme inspired by the International Year of Light 2015, organized by UNESCO. The full meaning of many ancient monuments can only be understood by examining their relation to light, given the effects that light radiation produces in “interacting” with lithic structures. Moreover, in addition to manifestations of the sacred through the medium of light (hierophanies), there are many ties between temples, tombs, megalithic structures, and the architecture of almost all ages and cultures and our star, the Sun. Readers will find the book to be a source of fascinating insights based on synergies between the disciplines of archaeology and astronomy.

Download or read book Skywatchers Shamans Kings written by E.C. Krupp and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 1999-02-26 with total page 580 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the celestial myths and cosmic rituals of ancient priests and kings . . . Drawing on intimate knowledge of the more than 1,300 ancient sites he has visited, E. C. Krupp, acclaimed writer and preeminent researcher, takes you to the world's essential sacred places and celestial shrines. Join him on a rich narrative journey to see where the rulers of old communed with the gods of the sky. "Highly recommended to everyone interested in the culture of astronomy and those peoples who practiced it in their own ways."-Sky & Telescope "A lively account of the ways in which our ancestors conceived of and used the heavens."-New Scientist "There can be no doubt that this imaginative and readable work by a widely read and widely traveled author will strike a chord in the minds of a great many modern readers."-Isis "The fact that the book is written by an expert in his field comes through on every page, as does his enthusiasm for the subject."-Astronomy Now "Krupp's indispensable volume is fascinating, well-illustrated, and covers much territory."-Parabola

Download or read book Calculating Brilliance written by Gerardo Aldana and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2022-03-15 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contextualizes the discovery of a Venus astronomical pattern by a female Mayan astronomer at Chich'en Itza and the discovery's later adaptation and application at Mayapan. Calculating Brilliance brings different intellectual threads together across time and space, from the Classic to the Postclassic, the colonial period to the twenty-first century to offer a new vision for understanding Mayan astronomy.

Download or read book Advancing Cultural Astronomy written by Efrosyni Boutsikas and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-04-08 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of essays on cultural astronomy celebrates the life and work of Clive Ruggles, Emeritus Professor of Archaeoastronomy at Leicester University. Taking their lead from Ruggles’ work, the papers present new research focused on three core themes in cultural astronomy: methodology, case studies, and heritage. Through this framework, they show how the study of cultural astronomy has evolved over time and share new ideas to continue advancing the field. Ruggles’ work in these areas has had a profound impact on the way that scholars approach evidence of the role of sky in both ancient and modern cultures. While the papers span many time periods and regions, they are closely connected by these three major themes, presenting methodological investigations of how we can approach archaeological, textual, and ethnographic evidence; describing detailed archaeoastronomical case studies; or stressing the importance of global heritage management. This work will appeal to researchers and scholars interested in the history and development of cultural astronomy.

Download or read book Handbook of Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy written by Clive L.N. Ruggles and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-08-16 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How human communities interpret what they perceive in the sky is vital in fulfilling humankind’s most basic need to comprehend the universe it inhabits, both from a modern scientific perspective and from countless other cultural standpoints, extending right back to early prehistory. Archaeoastronomy, which is concerned with cultural perceptions and understandings of astronomical phenomena, is a rich cross-disciplinary field. The central aim of “Handbook of Archaeoastronomy” is to provide a reliable source for theory, method, interpretation and best practices that will give a definitive picture of the state of the art research in this field for serious scholars regardless of the discipline(s) in which they are qualified. It will be equally suitable for those already contributing to the field and those interested in entering it. Also included are studies in ethnoastronomy, which is concerned with contemporary practices related to astronomy, particularly among modern indigenous societies. A major part of this MRW is comprised of a set of wide-ranging archaeoastronomical case studies both geographically and through time, stretching right back to Palaeolithic days, and also in terms of the types of human society and nature of their astronomical ideas and practices. However, these are chosen in order to best illuminate broader issues and themes, rather than to attempt, for example, to provide systematic coverage of recent ‘discoveries.’ Thematic articles cover general themes such as cosmologies, calendars, navigation, orientations and alignments, and ancient perceptions of space and time. They also highlight various aspects of the social context of astronomy (its relationship to social power, warfare, etc) and how we interpret astronomical practices within the framework of conceptual approaches. There are also discussions of broad issues such as ethnocentrism, nationalism, and astronomical dating. The “methods and practices” articles cover topics from field methodology and survey procedures to social theory, as well as providing broad definitions and explanations of key concepts. We are also including a number of “disciplinary perspectives” on approaches to archaeoastronomy written by leading figures in the constituent fields. These articles cover material that, generally speaking, would be familiar to graduates in the relevant discipline but, critically, not so to those with different backgrounds.

Download or read book Mysteries and Discoveries of Archaeoastronomy written by Giulio Magli and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-04-09 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book is divided into two parts. In the first, the reader is taken on an ideal ‘world tour’ of many wonderful and enigmatic places in almost every continent, in search of traces of astronomical knowledge and lore of the sky. In the second part, Giulio Magli uses the elements presented in the tour to show that the fundamental idea which led to the construction of the astronomically-related giant monuments was the foundation of power, a foundation which was exploited by ‘replicating’ the sky. A possible interpretive model then emerges that is founded on the relationship the ancients had with “nature”, in the sense of everything that surrounded them, the cosmos. The numerous monumental astronomically aligned structures of the past then become interpretable as acts of will, expressions of power on the part of those who held it; the will to replicate the heavenly plane here on earth and to build sacred landscapes. Finally, having formulated his hypothesis, Professor Magli returns to visit one specific place in detail, searching for proof. This in-depth examination studies the most compelling, the most intensively studied, the most famous and, until recently, the most misunderstood sacred landscape on the planet - Giza, in Egypt. The archaeoastronomical analysis of the orientation of the Giza pyramids leads to the hypothesis that the pyramids of Cheops and Chephren belong to the same construction project.

Download or read book Searching for the Oldest Stars written by Anna Frebel and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2019-08-27 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A leading astronomer takes readers behind the scenes of the thrilling science of stellar archaeology and explains how sections of the night sky are "excavated" in the hunt for extremely rare, 13-billion-year-old relic stars and how this quest reveals tantalizing new details about the origins and evolution of the cosmos.

Download or read book Girl Archaeologist written by Alice Beck Kehoe and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2022-03 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Girl Archaeologist illuminates the life and trailblazing career of Alice Kehoe, a woman with a family who was always, also, an archaeologist.

Download or read book Archaeoastronomy written by and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 524 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Astronomy Astrophysics written by P Murdin and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2001-01-01 with total page 5610 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a unique collaboration, Nature Publishing Group and Institute of Physics Publishing have published the most extensive and comprehensive reference work in astronomy and astrophysics. This unique resource covers the entire field of astronomy and astrophysics and this online version includes the full text of over 2,750 articles, plus sophisticated search and retrieval functionality and links to the primary literature. The Encyclopaedia's authority is assured by editorial and advisory boards drawn from the world's foremost astronomers and astrophysicists. This first class resource is an essential source of information for undergraduates, graduate students, researchers and seasoned professionals, as well as for committed amateurs, librarians and lay people wishing to consult the definitive astronomy and astrophysics reference work.

Download or read book Visualising Skyscapes written by Liz Henty and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-08-19 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Above the land and its horizon lies the celestial sphere, that great dome of the sky which governs light and darkness, critical to life itself, yet its influence is often neglected in the archaeological narrative. Visualising Skyscapes captures a growing interest in the emerging field of skyscape archaeology. This powerful and innovative book returns the sky to its rightful place as a central consideration in archaeological thought and can be regarded as a handbook for further research. Bookended by a foreword by archaeologist Gabriel Cooney and an afterword by astronomer Andrew Newsam, its contents have a wide-reaching relevance for the fields of archaeology, anthropology, ethnography, archaeoastronomy, astronomy, heritage and cultural studies. The volume balances six chapters on theory and methodology which elaborate on the history and practice of the field with six other chapters focused on case studies from around the world. Visualising Skyscapes captures the growing interest in the multidisciplinary study of skyscapes and will be of interest to academics, students and the general public, as well as having international appeal. It is topical, timely and relevant to current debates and will hopefully stimulate further interest in this exciting and relatively new area of investigation. The contributions showcase the work of distinguished academics in the field and the chapters are all enhanced by numerous photographs and images.

Download or read book Skywatchers Shamans and Kings written by E. C. Krupp and published by Wiley. This book was released on 1999-03 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the celestial myths and cosmic rituals of ancient priests and kings . . . Drawing on intimate knowledge of the more than 1,300 ancient sites he has visited, E. C. Krupp, acclaimed writer and preeminent researcher, takes you to the world's essential sacred places and celestial shrines. Join him on a rich narrative journey to see where the rulers of old communed with the gods of the sky. ""Highly recommended to everyone interested in the culture of astronomy and those peoples who practiced it in their own ways.""-Sky & Telescope ""A lively account of the ways in which our ancestors conceived of and used the heavens.""-New Scientist ""There can be no doubt that this imaginative and readable work by a widely read and widely traveled author will strike a chord in the minds of a great many modern readers.""-Isis ""The fact that the book is written by an expert in his field comes through on every page, as does his enthusiasm for the subject.""-Astronomy Now ""Krupp's indispensable volume is fascinating, well-illustrated, and covers much territory.""-Parabola

Download or read book Archaeoastronomy in the Old World written by D. C. Heggie and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1982-08-05 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The papers in this book, summarising the proceedings of a conference at the University of Oxford in September 1981, are concerned with shedding light on a controversial aspect of European prehistory: was astronomy practised in the late Neolithic and bronze ages? This volume will be of interest to prehistorians, professionals with pure and applied sciences background and statisticians.