Start year
1993
Organizational Unit
Organizing institutions
Grants related:
General
Description
The main objective of this project is to study the importance of astronomy as a fundamental part of human culture and civilization from Paleolithic to the present day. Our interest is mainly devoted to the people of the ancient Mediterranean cultures from the Atlantic to the Middle East, with a special dedication to Spain, its geographical neighbourhood and ancient Egypt. However, we are also developing projects in Mesoamerica, Peru and the Pacific islands.
Members
Principal investigator
Juan Antonio
Belmonte Avilés
Project staff
César
Esteban López
Collaborators
Antonio
Aparicio Juan
Dr.
José Luis Escacena
Dr.
Magdi Fekri
Dr.
M.C. Gallegos
Dr.
Marco García Quintela
Dr.
Michael Hoskin
Dr.
Dimiter Kolev
Dr.
Migel Ángel Molinero Polo
Dr.
Mª Antonia Perera Betancor
Dr.
Manuel Pérez
Dr.
Andrea Polcaro
Dr.
Margarita Sanz de Lara Barrios
Dr.
Antonio Tejera Gaspar
Dr.
José María Vaquero
Dr.
Mauro Zedda
Results
- The summit of Gran Canaria has been considered as an excellent example of a Cultural Landscape worthy of being declared World Heritage site within the Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative of UNESCO and the IAU. In 2018 the memory has been completed and the process of evaluation by ICOMOS has begun.
- A rock engraving or petroglyph of the aboriginal era on the island of La Palma (Benahoare) has been interpreted as an island map where its major landmarks are represented for purposes of sympathetic magic. This is without doubt one of the finest examples of prehistoric map produced before the development of modern cartography.
- The megalithic monumental complex of Castillejo del Bonete stands as the first evidence of a solar marker (towards the winter solstice sunrise) in a megalithic site of the Iberian Peninsula, indicating that the precise location of the monument was carefully chosen (Benítez de Lugo Enrich, L., Esteban, C., 2018).
Scientific activity
Related publications
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On the orientation of Roman cities in Hispania: preliminary resultsDespite the fact that ancient writings indicate a clear necessity to orient Roman towns according to the path of the sun (Hyginus Gromatius, Constitutio, 1), Le Gall (1975) in an early work made clear that there was no clear preferred orientation pattern. However, Le Gall’s analysis was done by taking into consideration a sparse number of RomanGonzález-García, A. C. et al.
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92014 -
Long-term Spatial and Temporal Variations of Aurora Borealis Events in the Period 1700 - 1905Catalogues and other records of aurora-borealis events were used to study the long-term spatial and temporal variation of these phenomena in the period from 1700 to 1905 in the Northern Hemisphere. For this purpose, geographic and geomagnetic coordinates were assigned to approximately 27 000 auroral events with more than 80 000 observations. TheyVázquez, M. et al.
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52014 -
On the Orientation of Prehistoric Sardinian Monuments: A Comparative Statistical ApproachOn the basis of a recently updated data base of Sardinian Megalithic monuments, we perform two independent statistical analyses on several groups of these structures and confirm the existence of differences between the southern and northern halves of Sardinia, indicating that there seem to be different traditions of orientation in these two partsGonzález García, A. C. et al.
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112014 -
Sacred Architecture Orientation across the Mediterranean: A Comparative Statistical AnalysisThe idea of temporality and how this concept is introduced in the ritual domain could be investigated in past cultures through measurements of the orientation of cultic buildings, provided that such orientations are linked with particular astronomical events. Hellenic societies, among those of the Mediterranean Iron Age, had a need to regulate timeGonzález García, A. C. et al.
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62014 -
Book Review: The Archaeotopography of EgyptReview of the book : Architecture, Astronomy and Sacred Landscape in Ancient Egypt. Giulio Magli (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2013). Pp. xii + 272. £60. ISBN 978-1-10703-208-8.Belmonte, J. A.
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52014 -
On the Orientation of Metgalithic Monuments of the Transjordan Plateau: New Clues for an Astronomical InterpretationNot AvailableBelmonte, J. A. et al.
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112013 -
Light and Shadows over Petra: Astronomy and Landscape in Nabataean LandsA statistical analysis of the orientation of Nabatean sacred monuments demonstrates that astronomical orientations were often part of an elaborated plan and possibly a trace of the astral nature of the Nabataean religion. Petra and other monuments in the ancient Nabataean kingdom have proven to be marvellous laboratories for the interaction betweenBelmonte, J. A. et al.
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122013 -
Archaeology of the sky. Astronomical orientations in Protohistoric buildings of the south of the Iberian Peninsula = Arqueología del cielo. Orientaciones astronómicas en edificios protohistóricos del sur de la Península IbéricaWe present an archaeoastronomical analysis of the orientations of six protohistoric sanctuaries and public buildings located in archaeological sites of the south of the Iberian Peninsula (Coria del Rio, El Carambolo, Saltillo, Mesa de Setefilla, Tejada la Vieja and El Oral). This study, the first of its kind conducted on a sample of Early Iron AgeEsteban, C. et al.
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12013 -
Book Review: A Reader in New World AstronomyInvited Review of the book: Foudations of New World Cultural Astronomy : a Reader with Commentary edited by a. Aveni (Univeristy Press of Colorado, boulder, 2008)Belmonte, Juan Antonio
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82009 -
On the Orientation of Ancient Egyptian Temples: (4) Epilogue in Serabit el Khadim and OverviewNot AvailableBelmonte, J. A. et al.
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52008 -
Thinking Hattusha: Astronomy and Landscape in the Hittite LandsNot AvailableGonzález-García, A. C. et al.
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112011 -
The 'Genetic' Analysis of Iberian Dolmens: A Test of the Idea in the Central PyreneesNot AvailableBelmonte, J. A. et al.
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52012 -
Statistical Analysis of Megalithic Tomb Orientations in the Iberian Peninsula and Neighbouring RegionsNot AvailableGonzález García, A. C. et al.
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52010 -
On the Orientation of Ancient Egyptian Temples: (5) Testing the Theory in Middle Egypt and SudanNot AvailableBelmonte, J. A. et al.
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12010 -
Keeping Ma’at: An astronomical approach to the orientation of the temples in ancient EgyptFor various reasons, Archaeoastronomy has not been one of the favourite disciplines of the Egyptologists in the past. Probably because of that, important questions such as the orientation of Egyptian temples and the relevance of astronomy in this respect had never been afforded with the necessary seriousness and deepness. The Egyptian-SpanishBelmonte, J. A. et al.
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82010 -
Book Review: Archeoastronomia: Un Dibattito tra Archaeologi ed Astronomi alla Ricerca di un Metodo ComuneNot AvailableBelmonte, J. A.
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22011 -
Antiochos's Hierathesion at Nemrud Dag Revisited: Adjusting the Date in the Light of Astronomical EvidenceNot AvailableBelmonte, J. A. et al.
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112010
