Archaeoastronomy
Archaeoastronomy is the “science of stars and stones”. It is an interdisciplinary science in between architecture, archaeology, and astronomy. It studies the relationships between the ancient monuments and the sky, in order to gain a better understanding of the ideas of the architects of the past and of their religious and symbolic world. The course provides the first complete, easy introduction to this fascinating discipline.During the course, many spectacular ancient sites of archaeology – such as Stonehenge in England, Giza and Karnak in Egypt, Chichen Itzá in the Yucatan, Macchu Picchu in Peru and the Pantheon in Rome – will be visited and the fascinating events occurring there in special days of the year (such as solstices, equinoxes, or the day of the foundation of Rome) will be shown and explained. The course also provides the necessary background on Astronomy with the naked eye and a general introduction to the role of Astronomy in religion and in the management of power among ancient cultures.
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Syllabus
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Week 1
Week 2
Week 2
Week 3
Week 3
Week 4
Week 4
Week 5
Week 5
Week 6
Week 6
Week 7
Astronomy insights
FAQ
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Reviews
The overall course was good but I personally found the last test difficult. I had to read for the test from other websites as I found the readings provided in week 7 insufficient for the test.
Helpful in achieving a good basic understanding of the technical aspects of astronomy and as a good general introduction to the study of archaeoastronomy. Clearly presented and well illustrated.
The subject matter was exactly what I hoped it to be: a new approach to interpreting ancient structures. Week 7 was more intense than I expected but informative nonetheless.
Excellent Course Outline and easy to understand content, Prof. Giulio Magli has done an excellent job to make that all information understandable to the students. Regards!
