About the Book
Throughout the course of history, from early prehistory to the Space Age, power structures have existed which have been more or less derived from or correlated to astronomical phenomena or certain cosmologies and cosmovisions. These have significantly affected and formed the economic, social, political, artistic and religious life of people across different cultures. Cosmographies, time reckoning and calendar systems, celestial navigation techniques, landscape and architectural models of cosmicpotency, celestial divination and astrological ideas, cosmic clothing and other related concepts have been used successfully by interest groups to establish, maintain and expand psychological, social, religious and political power. Furthermore, the celestial sphere and its inhabitants have also been closely connected and partially interwoven with the concept of the manifestation of cosmic order and power both in nature and in culture.
The book's 43 chapters cover numerous aspects of the topic, from general ideas to astronomy and politics in the Modern Age.
Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgement Local Organizing Committee / Scientific Organizing Committee List of Participants Impressions of the Conference GENERAL IDEAS Keepers of Time and Guardians of Space-Some Basic Concepts of Astronomy and Power MICHAEL A. RAPPENGLUCK The Social Life of Celestial Bodies: The Sky in Cultural Perspective STANISLAW IWANISZEWSKI Astral High-Fashion Clothing: Relations between Costumes and Astronomy MICHAEL A. RAPPENGLUCK NEOLITHIC CULTURES Astronomy, Landscape and Power in Eastern Anatolia JUAN ANTONIO BELMONTE AND A. CESAR GONZALEZ GARCIA Prehistoric Sanctuaries in Daunia ELIO ANTONELLO, VITO F. POLCARO, ANNA M. TUNZI AND MARIANGELA LO ZUPONE Archaeoastronomical World from Romania IHARKA SZUCS-CSILLIK, ALEXANDRA COMSA AND ZOIA MAXIM MEGALITHIC CULTURES Equinoctial Full Moon Models and Non-Gaussianity: Portuguese Dolmens as a Test Case FABIO SILVA Kreisgrabenanlagen: Expressions of Power Linked to the Sky GEORG ZOTTI AND WOLFGANG NEUBAUER Re-structuring the World of Scottish Megalithic Sites and Animating Astronomical Phenomena through 3D Computerisation DAVID FISHER Recumbent Stone Circles: Theory Overview Based on Fieldwork Conducted at Three Sites LIZ HENTY POWER OF CALENDAR AND CLOCKS Calendars as Symbols of Power SONJA DRAXLER AND MAX E. LIPPITSCH Astronomical Clocks - Representations of Power GUDRUN WOLFSCHMIDT CHALCOLITHIC / BRONZE AGE / IRON AGE CULTURES Luni-solar Symbolism in an Artefact from Bulgaria VESSELINA KOLEVA Astronomy, Religion and the Structure of Society in Prehistoric Finland MARIANNA RIDDERSTAD Astronomy and the Power: The Singular Building of Turo del Calvari (Vilalba dels Arcs, Tarragona) MANUEL PEREZ GUTIERREZ, DAVID BEA CASTANO, JORDI DILOLI FONS AND SAMUEL SARDA SEUMA Precise Astronomical Measurements of Ancient Dacian Sites within the Pythagorean Mega-triangle Sarmizegetusa-Regia-Retezat-Parang FRANZ KEREK AND FLORIN STANESCU Orientation in the Landscape of Open Air Rock Art in the Mountains between the Alva and Ceira Rivers: The Podomorph Carvings FERNANDO PIMENTA, NUNO RIBEIRO, ANDREW SMITH AND LUIS TIRAPICOS Total Solar Eclipses Close to the Pleiades on the Nebra Disk and Swedish Rock-Carvings GORAN HENRIKSSON Archaeoastronomical Analysis of the Karataevo Fortress Sanctuary on the Northern Black Sea Coast LARISA N. VODOLAZHSKAYA EGYPT, MINOAN CULTURE Stellar and Solar Components in Ancient Egyptian Mythology and Royal Ideology ROLF KRAUSS The Elite at Knossos as Custodians of the Calendar GORAN HENRIKSSON AND MARY BLOMBERG Prince P. A. Putyatin was the Forerunner of Russian Archaeoastronomy N. DMITRIEVA CULTURES IN EUROPE, ASIA, OCEANIA AND AFRICA The Celestial Engine at the Heart of Traditional Hawaiian Culture W. BRUCE MASSE Cosmic Power: Themes of Astronomy and Power within the Film Cosmic Africa JARITA C. HOLBROOK The Concept of Power and Cosmology: Manipulation of Cosmology by Spiritualists or Native Doctors (Dibia), a Case Study of the Igbo Society of Nigeria BARTH CHUKWUEZI Some Aspects of European Moon Mythology MARE KOIVA AND ANDRES KUPERJANOV Stars of Power - Astronomical Objects on Ancient Princely Insignia MAX E. LIPPITSCH AND SONJA DRAXLER CULTURES OF NORTH AMERICA, MESOAMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA Astronomy and Power in Mesoamerica IVAN SPRAJC Possible Mesoamerican Naked-Eye Observation of Sunspots - I: Evidence from the Tikal Ball Court Marker RICHARD R. ZITO Calendric-Astronomical Orientation as an Expression of Power in Mesoamerica JESUS GALINDO TREJO Possible Mesoamerican Naked-Eye Observation of Sunspots - II: Evidence from the Codices RICHARD R. ZITO Power, Danger and Liminality: Moon, Stars and Women among the Toba of Western Formosa (Gran Chaco, Argentina) PAULA GOMEZ A Topology of Power: Sky and Social Space in the Argentinean Chaco ALEJANDRO MARTIN LOPEZ ANTIQUITY Among the Circles: A Geometrical Analysis of the Teatro Marittimo in Villa Adriana MARZIA MONACO, SILVIA GAUDENZI AND MARCELLO RANIERI MEDIEVAL TIME IN ORIENT AND OCCIDENT Astronomy and the State: Time, Space and Power in the Foundation of Baghdad NICHOLAS CAMPION Astronomy and Politics: Three Case Studies on the Service of Astrology to Society S. MOHAMMAD MOZAFFARI The Dustur al-munajjimin or Does a Sovereign Need Astronomy to Structure His Reign? PETRA G. SCHMIDL The Orientation of Pre-Romanesque Churches in Spain: Asturias, a Case of Power Re-affirmation A. CESAR GONZALEZ GARCIA, JUAN ANTONIO BELMONTE AND LOURDES COSTA FERRER Astronomical Heritage in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Late Medieval Tombstones and Astral Motifs ZALKIDA HADZIBEGOVIC The Star of Magi: Transient Astronomical Events as Sources of Inspiration in Late Medieval Art M. INCERTI, F. BONOLI AND V. F. POLCARO A Social History of Medieval Astronomy A. MARTOCCHIA AND V. F. POLCARO ASTRONOMY AND POLITICS IN THE MODERN AGE Astronomy and Politicians MAGDA STAVINSCHI AND CATALIN MOSOIA Comets in Political Caricatures: Examples from the 18th to 21st Century BARBARA RAPPENGLUCK
About the Author :
The editors are proven experts in the field of cultural astronomy, having many years of experience. They are adept in different subjects and methodologies based on natural sciences as well as on humanities. Dr Michael A. Rappengluck MA, the first editor of the work in hand, has been president of the European Society of Astronomy in Culture (SEAC) since 2011. Contributors: Elio Antonello, David Bea Castano, Juan Antonio Belmonte, Mary Blomberg, F. Bonoli, Nicholas Campion, Barth Chukwuezi, Alexandra Comsa, Lourdes Costa Ferrer, Jordi Diloli Fons, Nataliya Dmitrieva, Sonja Draxler, David Fisher, A. Cesar Gonzalez-Garcia, Silvia Gaudenzi, Cecilia Paula Gomez, Zalkida Hadzibegovic, Goran Henriksson, Liz Henty, Jarita C. Holbrook, Manuela Incerti, Stanislaw Iwaniszewski, Franz Kerek, Mare Koiva, Vesselina Koleva, Rolf Krauss, Andres Kuperjanov, Max E. Lippitsch, Alejandro Martin Lopez, Mariangela Lo Zupone, Andrea Martocchia, W. Bruce Masse, Zoia Maxim, Marzia Monaco, Catalin Mosoia, S. Mohammad Mozaffari, Wolfgang Neubauer, Manuel Perez Gutierrez, Fernando Pimenta, Vito F. Polcaro, Marcello Ranieri, Barbara Rappengluck, Michael A. Rappengluck, Nuno Miguel da Conceicao Ribeiro, Marianna Ridderstad, Petra G. Schmidl, Samuel Sarda Seuma, Fabio Silva, Andrew Smith, Ivan Sprajc, Florin Stanescu, Magda Stavinschi, Iharka Szucs-Csillik, Luis A. M. Tirapicos, Jesus Galindo Trejo, Anna M. Tunzi, Larisa N. Vodolazhskaya, Gudrun Wolfschmidt, Richard R. Zito, Georg Zotti
