Disciplinary Perspectives on Archaeoastronomy

Reference work entry

Abstract

This chapter examines the contributions of major academic disciplines to archaeoastronomy, beginning with a consideration of several indicators of the participation of scholars from various fields. We then consider examples of research from astronomy and the physical sciences; anthropology, archaeology, and the social sciences; and the historical disciplines to see how they reflect their disciplinary perspectives. The questions drawn from these varied disciplinary perspectives stimulate different strands of research, enriching the study of astronomies in cultures.

References

  1. Aaboe A (1974) Scientific astronomy in antiquity. Philos Trans Roy Soc Lond A 276:21–42ADSCrossRefMathSciNetGoogle Scholar
  2. Aaboe A (2001) Episodes from the early history of astronomy. Springer, New YorkCrossRefMATHGoogle Scholar
  3. Aldana G (2006) Lunar alliances: shedding light on conflicting classic Maya theories of hegemony. In: Bostwick TW, Bates B (eds) Viewing the sky through past and present cultures. City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, Phoenix, pp 237–258Google Scholar
  4. Aldana G (2007) The apotheosis of Janaab’ Pakal: science, history, and religion at classic Maya Palenque. University Press of Colorado, BoulderGoogle Scholar
  5. Aveni AF (1980) Skywatchers of ancient Mexico. University of Texas Press, AustinGoogle Scholar
  6. Aveni AF (1992) Nobody asked but I couldn’t resist: a response to Keith Kintigh on archaeoastronomy and archaeology. Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy News 6:1–4Google Scholar
  7. Aveni AF (2003) Archaeoastronomy in the ancient Americas. J Archaeol Res 11:149–191CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Bradfield RM (1973) A natural history of associations: a study in the meaning of community, vol 2. International University Press, New YorkGoogle Scholar
  9. Broda J (1982) Astronomy, cosmovisión, and ideology in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. In: Aveni AF, Urton G (eds) Ethnoastronomy and archaeoastronomy in the American tropics. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. New York Academy of Sciences, New York, p 385Google Scholar
  10. Broda J (2006) Zenith observations and the conceptualization of geographic latitude in ancient Mesoamerica: a historical interdisciplinary approach. In: Bostwick TW, Bates B (eds) Viewing the sky through past and present cultures. City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, Phoenix, pp 183–211Google Scholar
  11. Cushing FH (1896) Outlines of zuñi creation myths. Thirteenth annual report of the bureau of ethnology, 1891–92. Government Printing Office, Washington, DCGoogle Scholar
  12. Dearborn DSP, Seddon MT, Bauer BS (1998) The sanctuary of Titicaca: where the sun returns to earth. Lat Am Antiq 9:240–258CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Durkheim É, Mauss M (1963 [1903]) Primitive classification. University of Chicago Press, ChicagoGoogle Scholar
  14. Eggan F (1950) Social organization of the western pueblos. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp 126–128Google Scholar
  15. Fairchild G, Malville JM, Malville NJ (2006) Chimney Rock as a ceremonial center and port-of-trade within the Chaco system. In: Bostwick TW, Bates B (eds) Viewing the sky through past and present cultures. City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, Phoenix, pp 259–274Google Scholar
  16. Gumerman GJ, Warburton M (2005) The universe in cultural context: an essay. In: Fountain JW, Sinclair R (eds) Current studies in archaeoastronomy: conversations across time and space. Carolina Academic Press, Durham, pp 15–24Google Scholar
  17. Iwaniszewski S (2011) The sky as a social field. In: Ruggles CLN (ed) Archaeoastronomy and ethnoastronomy: building bridges between cultures. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 30–37Google Scholar
  18. Judge JW (1987) Archaeology and astronomy: a view from the southwest. In: Carlson JB, Judge JW (eds) Astronomy and ceremony in the prehistoric southwest. Papers of the Maxwell Museum of Antrhopology, vol 2. Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, AlbuquerqueGoogle Scholar
  19. Kintigh K (1992) I wasn’t going to say anything, but since you asked: archaeoastronomy and archaeology. Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy News 5:1–4Google Scholar
  20. McCluskey SC (1990) Calendars and symbolism: functions of observation in Hopi astronomy. Archaeoastronomy 15 (Supplement to the Journal for the History for Astronomy 21):S1–S16Google Scholar
  21. McCluskey SC (1998) Astronomies and cultures in early medieval Europe. Cambridge University Press, CambridgeMATHGoogle Scholar
  22. McCluskey SC (2004) The study of astronomies in cultures as reflected in dissertations and theses. Archaeoastronomy: The Journal of Astronomy in Culture 18:20–25Google Scholar
  23. McCluskey SC (2007) Archaeoastronomy at the crossroads. Journal for the History of Astronomy 38:229–236Google Scholar
  24. Neugebauer O (1975) A history of ancient mathematical astronomy, vol 3. Springer, New YorkCrossRefMATHGoogle Scholar
  25. Rochberg F (2004) The heavenly writing: divination, horoscopy, and astronomy in Mesopotamian culture. Cambridge University Press, CambridgeCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Thom A (1971) Megalithic lunar observatories. Clarendon, OxfordGoogle Scholar
  27. Zeilik M (1985) The ethnoastronomy of the historic pueblos, I: calendrical sun watching. Archaeoastronomy 8 (Supplement to the Journal for the History for Astronomy 16):S1–S24Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of HistoryWest Virginia UniversityMorgantownUSA

Personalised recommendations