Long before archaeoastronomy became a recognized discipline, curious minds were already asking whether ancient monuments pointed to the sky. From early antiquarian musings to the rise of scientific archaeology, from speculation to computational analysis, the field has evolved through a fascinating interplay of wonder, skepticism, and discovery. Understanding this history is not merely academic — it gives us essential insight into why archaeoastronomy looks the way it does today.
This course invites you to explore the intellectual journey of archaeoastronomy: how ideas about sky-aligned monuments have been framed, challenged, refined, and sometimes distorted across time.
Through a series of engaging lectures and historical case studies, you will:
- Trace the roots of archaeoastronomical thought from early antiquarians and romantic-era dreamers to the emergence of modern archaeological science.
- Examine the complex relationship between archaeoastronomy and mainstream archaeology — including periods of tension, skepticism, and mutual influence.
- Discover how esoteric traditions, alternative histories, and cosmic philosophies shaped public perception of celestial alignments.
- Follow key milestones — from the first use of computers to find orientations, to the development of methodological standards and professional frameworks.
- Gain a broad understanding of how theory in archaeoastronomy has evolved — and how this history informs current debates and future directions in the field.
By the end of the course, you will have a panoramic view of archaeoastronomy’s intellectual development — a narrative that spans centuries of thought and reveals how our interpretations of ancient skywatching have changed with culture, technology, and scholarly rigor.
