Astronomy across cultures: the history of non-Western astronomy

Abstract

Astronomy Across Cultures: A History of Non-Western Astronomy consists of essays dealing with the astronomical knowledge and beliefs of cultures outside the United States and Europe. In addition to articles surveying Islamic, Chinese, Native American, Aboriginal Australian, Polynesian, Egyptian and Tibetan astronomy, among others, the book includes essays on Sky Tales and Why We Tell Them and Astronomy and Prehistory, and Astronomy and Astrology. The essays address the connections between science and culture and relate astronomical practices to the cultures which produced them. Each essay is well illustrated and contains an extensive bibliography. Because the geographic range is global, the book fills a gap in both the history of science and in cultural studies. It should find a place on the bookshelves of advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and scholars, as well as in libraries serving those groups. Sky Tales and Why We Tell Them -- Astronomy and Prehistory -- Astronomy and the Dreaming: The Astronomy of the Aboriginal Australians -- Useful and Conceptual Astronomy in Ancient Hawaii -- Ancient Astronomical Monuments in Polynesia -- A Polynesian Astronomical Perspective: the Maori of New Zealand -- The Inca: Rulers of the Andes, Children of the Sun -- Mesoamerican Astronomy and the Ritual Calendar -- Native American Astronomy: Traditions, Symbols, Ceremonies, Calendars, and Ruins -- Birth and Development of Indian Astronomy -- Remarks on the Origin of Indo-Tibetan Astronomy -- Indo-Malay Astronomy -- A Cultural History of Astronomy in Japan -- History of Astronomy in Korea -- Crossing the Boundaries Between Heaven and Man: Astronomy in Ancient China -- Astronomical Practices in Africa South of the Sahara -- Astronomy in Ancient Egypt -- Babylonian Astrology: Its Origin and Legacy in Europe -- Hebrew Astronomy: Deep Soundings from a Rich Tradition -- Mathematical Astronomy in Islamic Civilization -- Islamic Folk Astronomy.