This work is an attempt to introduce a comparison of the deep logics articulating cosmovisions and cosmologies among indigenous groups in the Lowlands of South America. We are particularly interested in describing the current state and... more
This work is an attempt to introduce a comparison of the deep logics articulating cosmovisions and cosmologies among indigenous groups in the Lowlands of South America. We are particularly interested in describing the current state and recent past of these knowledge systems, but also connecting them to the distant past. We seek to leave aside an anecdotic comparative approach focused on isolated elements, and it is not our intention to build conjectural narratives of the links among these ways of conceiving the world. Instead, we wish to focus on analysing the common underlying logics that account for the organising principles of these cosmovisions and cosmologies, related to their relational and political nature. International works very often identify the South American Lowlands with Amazonia and here we would like to correct this and include examples from Patagonia on an equal footing with those from Chaco.
Keywords: cosmo-politics; cultural astronomy; deep “logics”; indigenous knowledge; South American Lowlands.
This is a Podcast for popularising my research on the anthropological history of radio astronomy's engagement with extraterrestrial intelligence in the Soviet Union: For now, the material is aimed at Romanian-speaking audiences.... more
This is a Podcast for popularising my research on the anthropological history of radio astronomy's engagement with extraterrestrial intelligence in the Soviet Union:
For now, the material is aimed at Romanian-speaking audiences.
https://anchor.fm/gabriela-radulescu
An arrow-shaped structure in the Tassili mountains of Algeria points toward the summer solstice sunrise. However, the arrow-shaped structure is pointing 4° north of the current summer solstice sunrise azimuth of 63° ENE for that location.... more
An arrow-shaped structure in the Tassili mountains of Algeria points toward the summer solstice sunrise. However, the arrow-shaped structure is pointing 4° north of the current summer solstice sunrise azimuth of 63° ENE for that location. There is a possibility that factors other than human error could influence the construction of an off-target pointer to the summer solstice sunrise.
I found a third pair of compass-shaped structures that share an alignment in the Tassili mountains of Algeria. These two neighboring structures both point to the azimuth of 38° Northeast.
In this paper, I report the azimuth orientations of three compass-shaped monuments at a fourth site in the Tassili mountains of Algeria. Some of the compass-shaped structures of Tassili are oriented to the summer or winter solstice.... more
In this paper, I report the azimuth orientations of three compass-shaped monuments at a fourth site in the Tassili mountains of Algeria. Some of the compass-shaped structures of Tassili are oriented to the summer or winter solstice. Mapping these monuments, and documenting their azimuth orientations, provides useful data for our study of the ancient culture that built the monuments.
The aim of this work is to discuss some aspects about the concept of constellation in Astronomy. Apparently, this is a topic that should not be questioned because since 1930 there has been a complete set of constellations adopted by the... more
The aim of this work is to discuss some aspects about the concept of constellation in Astronomy. Apparently, this is a topic that should not be questioned because since 1930 there has been a complete set of constellations adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). However, it seems important to revisit the concept of constellation if we consider the studies of Cultural Astronomy developed specially in the Northwestern Amazonian region. Resumo. O objetivo deste trabalho é discutir alguns aspectos sobre o conceito de constelação em Astronomia. Aparentemente esse é um tema que não deveria ser questionado, porque desde 1930 existe um conjunto completo de constelações adotado pela União Astronômica Internacional (IAU). Entretanto, parece ser importante revisitar o conceito de constelação se considerarmos os estudos de Astronomia Cultural desenvolvidos particularmente na região Noroeste da Amazônia. Palavras-chave. Astronomia cultural. Constelações. Astronomia indígena 1. Introdução O presente trabalho tem como finalidade apresentar alguns desafios no emprego do conceito de constelações astronômicas para o desenvolvimento de investigações empíricas, sobretudo no estudo de populações indígenas. De tal maneira, se pretende revigorar o debate acerca do tema no campo acadêmico apresentando o desenvolvimento e as transformações do conceito de constelação astronômica no Ocidente e tecendo considerações acerca de seus impactos em pesquisas dessa natureza. Concretamente, as análises e interpretações do céu indígena Tukano que foram realizadas ao longo do trabalho originaram-se de uma pesquisa de campo no Noroeste da Amazônia brasileira. 1 1 Desenvolvida em três oficinas com estudantes e conhecedores da escola Yupuri, na comunidade de São José II, no médio rio Tiquié. Apesar das oficinas terem realizadas com estudantes da etnia Tukano,
