Mon 16 Jan
|London
Archeoastronomy: A brief history by Professor Clive Ruggles
Archeoastronomy grew out of interpretations of Stonehenge and other British prehistoric monuments in the 1960s as "ancient observatories" — ideas that generated a huge wave of popular interest but also proved highly controversial among academics, Pitting astronomers against archaeologists.
Time & Location
16 Jan 2023, 19:00 – 21:00
London, Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF, UK
About the Event
As they reached fundamentally different conclusions on the basis of the same evidence. More than half a century later, archaeoastronomy—the study of beliefs and practices concerning the sky in the past—is pursued by academics around the world, although for many it still remains controversial.
In this talk I'll trace the history of development of this intriguing but often turbulent field, drawing upon examples from around the world (including my own fieldwork in Hawai‘i and Peru) but focusing on prehistoric Britain and Ireland.
I'll also mention how archeoastronomy relates to World Heritage and to dark sky places.
BIO
Clive Ruggles is Emeritus Professor of Archeoastronomy in the School of Archeology and Ancient History at the University of Leicester. His latest book "Stonehenge: Sighting the Sun" (co-authored with Amanda Chadburn), commissioned by Historic England, will be available from next year. Clive is a past President of the Prehistoric Society, the International Society…