Course Details

The Ancient Sky Watchers: Topics in Archaeoastronomy

Spring 2008 - Anthropology 198 - Units: 1

Shortcuts:     decal.org/537     decal.org/archaeoastronomy

The ancients looked up into the sky every night.  They were so intimate with the stars and the sun, they could hear them singing and created wonderfully balanced homes, cities, and temples; aligning them with a solar clock in order to make them glow for a few sacred moments, during the longest day of the year.

Astronomy didn’t begin with the Greeks; it is a much older science.  Some traditions call the night sky our father; and the earth our mother.  Perhaps this is true, even Carl Sagan said, “We are all star stuff.”  Why wouldn’t awestruck ancients pay homage to such a brilliant map?  But what do the calendars mean?  Why are there ancient identical temples built on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean, perfectly aligned to light up and shadow dance for a few moments?  Why illuminate one part of a building, or a stone circle, during only a few moments once each year?  What is the astronomical purpose of a mound? 

While we may not discover the answers to these questions, we will encounter many more which will peak our curiosity even higher.  There are patterns to be explored and hypotheses to be made.  The purpose of this course is to take a peek at the archaeology of astronomical influences in human culture, or archaeoastronomy, from many different regions of the world.  We’ll explore the theories of: who, why, for what purpose, and how these patterns in prehistoric building came into existence.

Enrollment Info:

This course is cancelled due to my own class schedule changing.  I may try again in the fall.

Warmest Regards.

Shannon Swan 

Course Contact: ancientskywatching AT gmail.com

Faculty Sponsor: Margaret W. Conkey

Know someone who might like this course? Send them a link on Facebook!

Course info last modified January 21, 2008. This page has been viewed 2400 times.