Archaeoastronomy
… is the study of beliefs and practices relating to the sky in the past, especially in prehistory, and the uses to which people's know- ledge of the skies was put.
Journals
Professional bodies
Free software tools
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HORIZON |
See the Tools page for more info
Books
Springer Handbook (2014):
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Ocarina Books publishes and distributes books relating to archaeo- and ethnoastronomy |
Publications
This list of my books and selected papers and articles contains links and downloadable copies where available.
Chankillo is inscribed on the World Heritage List
The prehistoric solar observatory and ceremonial centre at Chankillo in Peru, including its famous thirteen towers, was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List at the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee held in July 2021.
Chankillo’s extraordinary and quite unique monumental solar calendrical device has been recognised as World Heritage just 14 years after Ivan Ghezzi’s and my article “Chankillo: A 2300-Year-Old Solar Observatory in Coastal Peru” was first published in Science (315 (2007), 1239–1243).
According to UNESCO, Chankillo solar observatory is “an outstanding example of ancient landscape timekeeping, a practice of ancient civilizations worldwide, which used visible natural or cultural features. Incorporated in the Thirteen Towers, it permitted the time of year to be accurately determined not just on one date but throughout the seasonal year. Unlike architectural alignments upon a single astronomical target found at many ancient sites around the world, the line of towers spans the entire annual solar rising and setting arcs as viewed, respectively, from two distinct observing points, one of which is still clearly visible above ground. The astronomical facilities at Chankillo represent a masterpiece of human creative genius.”
Advancing Cultural Astronomy
Studies In Honour of Clive Ruggles
Edited by Efrosyni Boutsikas, Stephen C. McCluskey and John Steele
Springer have published this collection of essays on cultural astronomy in their “Historical and Cultural Astronomy” series. According to the blurb:
“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.”
I am hugely honoured and humbled by this, and would like to express my immense gratitude to all involved.
Published: 2021
For a contents list see Springer’s website.
Astronomical heritage
Portal to the Heritage of Astronomy
Read more on the UNESCO–IAU Portal to the Heritage of Astronomy and about astronomical heritage in general
Free downloads
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No. 1 (2010): See here for more information or click here to download a copy directly (46 Mb) |
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No. 2 (2017): See here for more information or click here to download a copy (19 Mb) |
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Astronomical World Heritage
Download a copy of an article published in A&G (Aug 2019 issue) |
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Stonehenge and Ancient Astronomy
Download a copy of the Royal Astronomical Society’s factsheet |
Alice Ruggles Trust
If you are looking for things related to Alice and/or information about stalking, please visit the Alice Ruggles Trust website