Cultural astronomy, sometimes called the study of Astronomy in Culture, has been described as investigating "the diversity of ways in which cultures, both ancient and modern, perceive celestial objects and integrate them into their view of the world." As such, it encompassed the
interdisciplinary
Interdisciplinarity or interdisciplinary studies involves the combination of multiple academic disciplines into one activity (e.g., a research project). It draws knowledge from several fields such as sociology, anthropology, psychology, economi ...
fields studying the
astronomies of current or ancient societies and cultures. It developed from the two interdisciplinary fields of
archaeoastronomy, the study of the use of astronomy and its role in ancient cultures and civilizations, and
ethnoastronomy, "a closely allied research field which merges astronomy, textual scholarship, ethnology, and the interpretation of ancient iconography for the purpose of reconstructing lifeways, astronomical techniques, and rituals."
It is also related to
historical astronomy (analyzing historical astronomical data),
history of astronomy (understanding and study and evolution of the discipline of astronomy over the course of human knowledge) and
history of astrology (investigating relationships between
astrology and astronomy).
Examples
See also
*
Archaeoastronomy
References
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Astronomical sub-disciplines
History of astrology