Best practice for evaluating the astronomical significance of archaeological sites

Abstract

Most practitioners of archaeoastronomy would argue that paying due attention to social theory and the broader cultural context does not obviate the need for careful attention to be given to methodological considerations such as the fair selection of data. Notwithstanding the complexities and subtleties that can arise when archaeoastronomical evidence is duly considered in a broader context, this chapter addresses a number of basic issues of best practice, with data selection methodologies at the fore. It focuses particularly upon three types of evidence most commonly considered by archaeoastronomers - structural orientations, lightand-shadow effects, and symbol counts - as identified in Chap. 24, “Nature and Analysis of Material Evidence Relevant to Archaeoastronomy”. It does not address field survey and data analysis techniques as such; these are covered in Chaps. 26, “Techniques of Field Survey” and 27, “Analyzing Orientations”.​