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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Archaeoastronomy by Politecnico di Milano

4.5
stars
1,341 ratings

About the Course

Archaeoastronomy is the “science of stars and stones”. It is an interdisciplinary science in between architecture, archaeology, and astronomy. 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. The course provides the first complete, easy introduction to this fascinating discipline. During the course, many spectacular ancient sites of archaeology – 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....

Top reviews

ID

Mar 2, 2019

Amazingly made MOOC. Perhaps it feels a bit short in comparison to some of the others, but the material is well presented and the suggested readings give plenty of opportunity for further learning.

DG

Nov 27, 2021

I really enjoyed this archaeoastronomy course. Professor Magli demonstrated outstanding knowledge of the subject, and was so generous in sharing his expertise through videos of worldwide locations.

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276 - 300 of 415 Reviews for Archaeoastronomy

By paul d

Apr 24, 2017

Great class!

By SONIA T S

Jul 12, 2020

Excelente!!

By Juan M S B

Mar 8, 2024

Excellent!

By JoAnne F (

Aug 10, 2019

Fasinating

By Paccelli Z

Apr 23, 2018

Excellent!

By Juan A J

Jun 23, 2017

Increible!

By Kem-Kem P

Nov 14, 2022

Excellent

By Simone P

Jan 17, 2021

Amazing !

By Michelle T

Feb 4, 2021

AMAZING!

By Lina M D W

Jan 22, 2019

Excelent

By Muhammad T M

Nov 13, 2018

GOOD ONE

By Coline D Z

Dec 10, 2020

Great !

By Julio A Z P

Apr 20, 2021

Great!

By Jesús G c V

Jun 13, 2019

genial

By Venkatesh.Meka

Nov 12, 2017

Great.

By Arvin N

Jan 25, 2022

Great

By jorge r

Oct 27, 2020

Great

By Gergo M

Dec 4, 2023

:)

By Chunduri p

Mar 16, 2020

s

z

By Ricardo M

Jul 19, 2022

H

By Diana L

Jun 3, 2017

Excellent introduction to the field with exciting examples of the centrality of the movements of celestial bodies to religious belief and practice (and more) in antiquity, as realized in stone structures. If only I were a scientist and, especially, a mathematician! What is so interesting is that clear, precise evidence can be provided through these methods. My first thought was, how much more interesting and enlightening any study of antiquity would be with the particular addition of archaeoastronomy. These discoveries through mathematics feel rather like magic, reaching beyond the mechanics to reveal deeper insights into how people of the time might have experienced connection and communication with the heavens. Thank you!

[If I were to make a suggestion, it would be to have the instructional staff review some of the more technical quiz questions and pull out some items for supplementary video instruction. As the factors accumulate, they become pretty confusing for the less mathematically knowledgeable among us.]

By Analia C C

Oct 28, 2020

el curso me gusto muchisimo, aprendi sobre construcciones megalíticas que me fascinaron.Me gustaría que hubiera una segunda parte para profundizar aun más en esta disciplina científica

Lo único que podría decir que no ha sido de mi agrado fueron los textos suministrados en la semana 7 que incluian conceptos y modos de calcular y objetos celestes que si bien eran claros considero que faltaron los videos explicativos que siempre son mucho más didácticos para comprender los temas. Yo tengo una formación en Cartografía y por lo tanto en la Facultad estudié Cosmografía, Topografía y Geodesia por lo que no me resultaron desconocidos los temas pero para quienes no poseen demasiada formacion previa puede resultar algo dificil de interpretar sin ejemplos .

Por lo demás ha sido un gran curso y ojalá puedan realizar más sobre la misma temática que es apasionante.Mis felicitaciones al profesor por su claridad al explicar

By Paul L G

Nov 28, 2018

Assumes that after reading something for an hour you can clearly understand specific object motions and measurements and technical terms that describe them. Spatial visualization, even distinguishing East from West and degrees of declination and right ascension is not clear and simple to all, unless you've been at it for quite some time. The exams get stuck in these descriptions and discernment and do little to further the understanding of Archaeoastronomy. Simple sundials, stone circles, as seen in Canada from indigenous peoples also attest to the understanding of celestial motions and sky observations by ancient cultures. No temple or grand monument is required to highlight ancient interest in sky motions. Aside from this shortfall the course is interesting and visually rich.

By Ralph A C

Dec 9, 2020

This is a good course because it carefully adheres to science as it describes the connections between several historic civilizations and astronomy. I think Giulio Magli did a good job of making clear that any association of ancient monuments with astronomy needs to be tied to either a utilitarion reason (for example, when to plant crops) or some other reason that is well documented (hierglyphics, Greek or Roman writings, etc.).

My only complaint is with the last quiz. I feel that the reading assignments did not prepare us well for it. The questions required a much deeper understanding of astronomy than was provided by the reading material.

By Luis F L B

May 23, 2020

El curso me ha resultado muy interesante, me ha proporcionado nuevos conocimientos, me resultó bastante asombroso los conocimientos que tenían las civilizaciones antiguas respecto de la astronomía y la manera en que se vincula a la religión, a la arquitectura, a la política, a la economía, a las matemáticas, al arte, a la geografía; a través de este curso se puede constatar el avanzado desarrollo de las civilizaciones a las que se hace referencia en el curso. Los seis primeros módulos tienen un formato distinto del último que no tiene ningún video que desarrolle o explique un poco más la información. Gracias.