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Professor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic World: The Compelling Story of Alexander Thom and British Archaeoastronomy Euan W. MacKie

Professor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic World: The Compelling Story of Alexander Thom and British Archaeoastronomy By Euan W. MacKie

Professor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic World: The Compelling Story of Alexander Thom and British Archaeoastronomy by Euan W. MacKie


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Summary

This book combines the two great passions of the author's life: reconstructing the Neolithic mind and constructively challenging consensus in his professional domain. Semi-autobiographical, it charts his investigation of Alexander Thom's theories regarding the alignment of prehistoric monuments in the landscape across several key Neolithic sites.

Professor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic World: The Compelling Story of Alexander Thom and British Archaeoastronomy Summary

Professor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic World: The Compelling Story of Alexander Thom and British Archaeoastronomy by Euan W. MacKie

Professor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic World combines the two great passions of the author's life: reconstructing the Neolithic mind and constructively challenging consensus in his professional domain. The book is semi-autobiographical, charting the author's investigation of Alexander Thom's theories, in particular regarding the alignment of prehistoric monuments in the landscape, across a number of key Neolithic sites from Kintraw to Stonehenge and finally Orkney. It maps his own perspective of the changing reception to Thom's ideas by the archaeological profession from initial curiosity and acceptance to increasing scepticism. The text presents historical summaries of the various strands of evidence from key Neolithic sites across the UK and Ireland with the compelling evidence from the Ness of Brodgar added as an appendix in final justification of his approach to the subject.

Professor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic World: The Compelling Story of Alexander Thom and British Archaeoastronomy Reviews

'...a richly illustrated account of an important, but much marginalised debate within archaeology and, as such, of great historiographical value.'-Kenneth Brophy (2021): Journal of Skyscape Archaeology, DOI:https://doi.org/10.1558/jsa.22278

About Euan W. MacKie

Euan W. MacKie (1936-2020), was a British archaeologist who graduated with a degree in Archaeology and Anthropology from St John's College, Cambridge in 1959. He excavated at the Mayan site of Xunantunich in 1959-60 and was then employed at the British Museum Department of Ethnography before becoming Curator and Keeper of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow where he later obtained his PhD. His principal research areas were the brochs and vitrified forts of the Scottish Iron Age, and archaeoastronomy - the investigation of the astronomical knowledge of prehistoric cultures.

Table of Contents

Foreword - Dr Doug MacKie ;
Preface ;
Chapter 1 The origins of the controversy ;
Chapter 2 Early hypothesis-testing in western Scotland ;
Chapter 3 Decisive tests in Orkney and Ireland ;
Chapter 4 Research into Alexander Thom's fieldwork ;
Chapter 5 The probable astronomy and geometry of Stonehenge ;
Chapter 6 The Neolithic solar calendar, as seen on a kerb stone at Knowth, Ireland ;
Chapter 7 Current aspects of the research situation ;
Appendix Is there plausible evidence that the Ness of Brodgar priesthood had any esoteric knowledge? ;
Bibliography

Additional information

GOR013465867
9781784918330
1784918334
Professor Challenger and his Lost Neolithic World: The Compelling Story of Alexander Thom and British Archaeoastronomy by Euan W. MacKie
Used - Like New
Paperback
Archaeopress
2021-02-04
158
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
The book has been read, but looks new. The book cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket is included if applicable. No missing or damaged pages, no tears, possible very minimal creasing, no underlining or highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins

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