Universität Wien

060074 VO Introduction to Archaeoastronomy (2019W)

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 6 - Ägyptologie, Judaistik, Urgeschichte und Historische Archäologie

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
Register/Deregister for this course

Details

Language: German

Examination dates

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Thursday 17.10. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 24.10. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 31.10. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 07.11. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 14.11. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 21.11. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 28.11. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 05.12. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 12.12. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 09.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 16.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 23.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG
  • Thursday 30.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum 13 Franz-Klein-Gasse 1 4.OG

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Archaeoastronomy is concerned with the role of astronomical phenomena in earlier human cultures. An important part of the subject deals with orientation of axes of monumental or other human constructions in relation to astronomical phenomena like solar rising or setting events at certain dates like solstices. A. is a strongly interdisciplinary science, requiring combination of skills from archaeology, ethnology, astronomy and geodesy (surveying).
Recent developments include "skyscape archaeology" (landscape archaeology which includes celestial phenomena linked to the landscape) and virtual 3D models (virtual archaeology) for a better understanding of the original situation.
Topics: History of archaeoastronomy; Calendars; introduction to astronomical phenomenology; use of an (open source) desktop planetarium; surveying for archaeoastronomy; Case studies: the Nebra sky disk; project ASTROSIM about Middle Neolithic Circular Ditch Systems of Lower Austria; computer based methods for skyscape archaeology ("Virtual Archaeoastronomy").

Assessment and permitted materials

Oral examination (German or English), or creation of a practical example in the Stellarium desktop planetarium.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Examination topics

Reading list

Wolfhard Schlosser & Jan Cierny: Sterne und Steine (Wiss. Buchgesellsch. Darmstadt 1996).
Peter Melichar & Wolfgang Neubauer (Hg.): Mittelneolithische Kreisgrabenanlagen in Niederösterreich (2010).
Harald Meller (Hg.): Der geschmiedete Himmel (2004).
Gudrun Wolfschmidt (Hg.): Baudenkmäler des Himmels Astronomie in gebautem Raum und gestalteter Landschaft. Nuncius Hamburgensis Bd.35, 2019

Clive Ruggles: Astronomy in Prehistoric Britain and Ireland (1999).
Michael Hoskin: Tombs, Temples and their Orientations. A New Perspective on Mediterranean Prehistory (2001)
Giulio Magli: Archaeoastronomy: Introduction to the Science of Stars and Stones. Springer Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics (2016).
Clive Ruggles (ed.): Springer Handbook for Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy (2015).
Stellarium User Guide (Stellarium.org, 2019).
Giulio Magli et al (eds.): Archaeoastronomy
in the Roman World. Springer 2019.
Liz Henty, Daniel Brown (eds.): Visualising Skyscapes: Material Forms of Cultural Engagement with the Heavens. Routledge 2019.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 27.07.2026 10:55