Learn About the Science of Stars and Stones - A Free Course

Archaeoastronomy is the “science of stars and stones”: it studies the relationships between the ancient monuments and the sky, in order to gain a better understanding of the ideas of the architects of the past and of their religious and symbolic world. This course provides the first complete, easy introduction to this fascinating discipline.

Archaeoastronomy Course Content

During the course, many spectacular ancient sites – such as Stonehenge in England, Giza and Karnak in Egypt, Chichen Itzá in the Yucatan, Macchu Picchu in Peru and the Pantheon in Rome – will be visited and the fascinating events occurring there in special days of the year (such as solstices, equinoxes, or the day of the foundation of Rome) will be shown and explained. The course also provides the necessary background on Astronomy with the naked eye and a general introduction to the role of Astronomy in religion and in the management of power among ancient cultures.

The course materials will still be available to all registered users for a long time, even after the closing of the edition.

Prerequisites

No particular prerequisites are needed.

Summary of Main Course Features

Educator: Giulio Magli (Physicist currently Full Professor at the Politecnico di Milano)
Publisher: Politecnico di Milano
Classes Start: May 16, 2016
Classes End: July 31, 2016
Estimated Effort: 2-3 hours/week
Certificate of Accomplishment: Yes. This will be released to anyone who successfully completed the course (by answering correctly to at least 60% of the questions).