This book provides the first complete, easy to read, up-to-date account of the fascinating discipline of archaeoastronomy, in which the relationship between ancient constructions and the sky is studied in order to gain a better understanding of the ideas of the architects of the past and of their religious and symbolic worlds.
Exploring the intriguing field of Archaeoastronomy, the book provides an authoritative introduction to how ancient civilizations understood the cosmos. Through an examination of various enigmatic sites and monuments, the author reveals the astronomical knowledge of our ancestors, uncovering the connections between their architectural achievements and celestial observations. This journey highlights the significance of astronomy in shaping cultural and historical contexts.
The textbook offers a comprehensive exploration of archaeoastronomy, examining the connections between ancient structures and celestial phenomena to reveal the beliefs and intentions of past architects. It is organized into three sections: the historical relationship between astronomy and various aspects of ancient life, fundamental principles of archaeoastronomy, and insights into famous sites like Stonehenge and the Pyramids. The updated edition includes a new chapter on Asian archaeoastronomy and features augmented reality tools for a more interactive learning experience.
Astronomy, Feng Shui, and the Mandate of Heaven
This book analyses the magnificent imperial necropolises of ancient China from the perspective of Archaeoastronomy, a science which takes into account the landscape in which ancient monuments are placed, focusing especially but not exclusively on the celestial aspects.
This book examines the interplay between astronomy and dynastic power in the course of ancient Egyptian history, focusing on the fundamental role of astronomy in the creation of the pyramids and the monumental temple and burial complexes. Bringing to bear the analytical tools of archaeoastronomy, a set of techniques and methods that enable modern scholars to better understand the thought, religion, and science of early civilizations, Giulio Magli provides in-depth analyses of the pyramid complexes at Giza, Abusir, Saqqara, and Dahshur, as well as of the Early Dynastic necropolis at Abydos and the magnificent new Kingdom Theban temples. Using a variety of data retrieved from study of the sky and measurements of the buildings, he reconstructs the visual, symbolic, and spiritual world of the ancient Egyptians and thereby establishes an intimate relationship among celestial cycles, topography, and architecture. He also shows how they were deployed in the ideology of the pharaoh's power in the course of Egyptian history.
Il mondo è pieno di monumenti enigmatici e apparentemente muti. A volte sitratta di vere e proprie città. Basti pensare a Stonehenge, a Teotihuacan, oalle grandi piramidi di Giza. In questi luoghi esistono tuttavia chiari indiziche rivelano l'interesse dei costruttori per i movimenti delle stelle. Sitratta in molti casi dell'unica informazione che i costruttori stessi ci hannolasciato. Un insieme di indizi, spesso trascurati dagli studiosi, chetestimoniano non solo la tenacia di queste civiltà arcaiche, ma soprattuttol'importanza che le stelle ricoprivano nella loro cultura. Il libro accompagnail lettore sulle tracce dei misteri ma anche delle tante affascinanti scopertecompiute dall'archeoastronomia nello studio delle civiltà del passato.