At the Intersection of Earth and Sky: Archaeoastronomy and Experimental Archeology, an Autoethnographic Perspective of Sacred Landscapes

Abstract

This project was designed to use the methods of phenomenology and experimental archaeology to explore the mind and practices of the Neolithic Passage Tomb builders of Ireland, connecting first with the monuments within their original landscape, then attempting to understand their construction through the design and execution of a solar-centered sacred space. The intent was to understand the process: its difficulty and logic, the amount of knowledge of the movement of heavenly bodies needed to create the famous solar alignments and the incorporation of symbolism and function into a single meaningful space. By doing so, the author examined the use of the method of phenomenology for its place within the ideological and methodological toolkit of archaeology.