In the United Kingdom and Europe generally, the study of prehistoric
monuments has long been the domain of archaeologists who excavate,
measure, date and record them. From the 1960s onwards,
archaeoastronomers provided an alternative picture based on their belief
that the builders understood celestial movements and consequently
enshrined astronomical alignments into their monuments. This picture was
highly contested by most archaeologists and the two fields, archaeology
and archaeoastronomy, have gone their separate ways. One of the scholars
who broke this stalemate was Lionel Sims who, as an anthropologist, had
a wealth of ethnographic material to draw from, allowing him to envision
archaeoastronomy from a multidisciplinary perspective by combining a
number of methodologies and approaches to examine how archaeoastronomy
could deal with cultural complexity. Lionel Sims has produced an
influential body of work which has challenged existing narratives about
British prehistoric monuments and, equally importantly, provided
innovative ways to approach and think about skyscapes. His work is not
without controversy, but his unique take and thought-provoking
conclusions have had an impact on the thinking of numerous students and
collaborators. This festschrift gathers contributions from many of his
colleagues who wish to honour and pay their respects to him. Following
an introduction that discusses the legacy of his work, the volume delves
deeper into three areas: Anthropology and Human Origins, Prehistory and
Megalithic Monuments, and Theory. Its thirteen chapters contextualise
Lionel's work and expand it in new and exciting directions for skyscape
archaeology.
