Research news on Archaeoastronomy

Archaeoastronomy is a multidisciplinary research area that investigates how past human societies understood, utilized, and culturally integrated astronomical phenomena, using methods from archaeology, astronomy, anthropology, and related fields. It analyzes the spatial orientation and architectural alignments of structures, artifact iconography, landscape features, and calendrical or ritual practices to infer intentional relationships with celestial bodies and cycles. The field emphasizes rigorous statistical, geometric, and observational tests to distinguish deliberate astronomical design from chance alignments, and integrates contextual archaeological evidence to interpret cosmological models, timekeeping systems, ritual landscapes, and the role of celestial knowledge in social organization and belief systems.