Announcements
•For next time: read Chapter 2. Come to class Tuesday
with a question to pose to the class for discussion. Be
prepared to lead the discussion.
•Let me know the book you want to do your 1st project
on as soon as you decide. First-come-first-served with
no duplication is allowed.
Chapter 1
Astronomy Before History
Hopi horizon calendar: sunset in the San Francisco
peaks near Flagstaff Arizona
Newgrange, Ireland
The “door” of Newgrange
Alentejo Neolithic Tombs
Alentejo Tombs
Taula Sanctuaries on the island of
Menorca, Spain
Stonehenge
Lay-out of
Stonehenge
Construction Stages of
Stonehenge
Other Megalithic Structures
Callanish, Scotland
Carnac, France
Ring of Kerry, Ireland
Megalithic Cultures of Europe
Mesoamerican Astronomy
The Mayan carved stone
hieroglyphs in their structures
The Mayan Calendar
They had three cycles
in their calendar: 365
days, 360 days and 260
days. They were also
big on the cycles of
Venus (584 days).
The Dresden
Codec
Most Mayan texts were destroyed
by the Spanish Conquistadores
but a few survived
North American Indian Astronomy
Chaco Canyon
New Mexico
There are a number of sites in
New Mexico and Arizona
The Sun Dagger at Chaco
Canyon
Modern Day Primitive Cultures
There are cultures in
Africa and the Amazon
of South America that
live in isolation.
Understanding their
view of astronomy can
help us understand
those of pre-historic
societies