Creation Stories: Landscapes and the Human Imagination

Literature & Fiction

Aveni, Anthony

History & Criticism

Yale University Press

In anticipation of solar eclipses visible in 2017 and 2024, an exploration of the scientific and cultural significance of this mesmerizing cosmic display Since the first humans looked up and saw the sun swallowed by darkness, our species has been captivated by solar eclipses. Astronomer and anthropologist Anthony Aveni explains the history and culture surrounding solar eclipses, from prehistoric Stonehenge to Babylonian creation myths, to a confirmation of Einstein’s theory of general relativity, to a spectacle that left New Yorkers in the moon’s shadow, to future eclipses that will capture human imaginations. In one accessible and engaging read, Aveni explains the science behind the phenomenon, tracks eclipses across the ancient world, and examines the roles of solar eclipses in modern times to reveal the profound effects these cosmic events have had on human history. Colored by his own experiences—Aveni has witnessed eight total solar eclipses in his lifetime—his account of astronomy’s most storied phenomenon will enthrall anyone who has looked up at the sky with wonder.

In the Shadow of the Moon: The Science, Magic, and Mystery of Solar Eclipses

History

Americas

Follow an epic animal race, a quest for a disembodied hand, and an emu egg hunt in constellation stories from diverse cultures We can see love, betrayal, and friendship in the heavens, if we know where to look. A world expert on cultural understandings of cosmology, Anthony Aveni provides an unconventional atlas of the night sky, introducing readers to tales beloved for generations. The constellations included are not only your typical Greek and Roman myths, but star patterns conceived by a host of cultures, non‑Western and indigenous, ancient and contemporary. The sky has long served as a template for telling stories about the meaning of life. People have looked for likenesses between the domains of heaven and earth to help marry the unfamiliar above to the quotidian below. Perfect reading for all sky watchers and storytellers, this book is an essential complement to Western mythologies, showing how the confluence of the natural world and culture of heavenly observers can produce a variety of tales about the shapes in the sky.

Star Stories: Constellations and People

World

An accessible exploration of how diverse cultures have explained humanity's origins through narratives about the natural environment Drawing from a vast array of creation myths--Babylonian, Greek, Aztec, Maya, Inca, Chinese, Hindu, Navajo, Polynesian, African, Norse, Inuit, and more--this concise illustrated book uncovers both the similarities and differences in our attempts to explain the universe. &nbsp; Anthony Aveni, an award-winning author and professor of astronomy and anthropology, examines the ways various cultures around the world have attempted to explain our origins, and what roles the natural environment plays in shaping these narratives. The book also celebrates the audacity of the human imagination. &nbsp; Whether the first humans emerged from a cave, as in the Inca myths, or from bamboo stems, as the Bantu people of Africa believed, or whether the universe is simply the result of Vishnu's cyclical inhales and exhales, each of these fascinating stories reflects a deeper understanding of the culture it arose from as well as its place in the larger human narrative.

Stairways to the Stars: Skywatching in Three Great Ancient Cultures

Science & Math

Astronomy & Space Science

see notes for publisher info

The absorbing story of the first people to set foot in North America and the many cultures of their descendants. For thousands of years nomadic people from east Asia followed caribou walking east. Sometime around 20,000 BCE, they crossed the land bridge into North America. These waves of people are the ancestors to every culture on the continent. Tony Aveni, whose expertise is the scientific, mathematical, and cultural accomplishments of the first Americans, celebrates the disparate cultures by highlighting one or two from each region of the country: the Taino, the Iroquois, the Adena, the Anasazi, the Kwakiutl, and the Timucua.

The First Americans: The Story of Where They Came From and Who They Became

Children's Books

Biographies

Scholastic Nonfiction

For many ancient societies, the movements of the sun, moon, stars, and planets constituted an elaborate language, expressing the intentions of the spiritual forces they believed ruled the world. With little or no technology, these ancient cultures made remarkably detailed astronomical observations and developed intricate belief systems around them. 
Join critically acclaimed author Anthony Aveni, one of the founding fathers of the study of ancient astronomy, as he explores its purpose and uncovers surprising new revelations about three of the most popular and mysterious clues to its interpretation. What was the meaning of Stonehenge? What was the Mayan Code? Why was the elaborate Incan city of Cuzco built? A timeless, towering enigma, Stonehenge has mesmerized people for centuries. As Aveni takes us on a tour around the legendary structure, he describes how it was constructed in multiple stages over thousands of years, and critiques the many theories posited to explain its form and function. Through his eyes, Stonehenge comes alive as a meeting place, an observatory, a calendar, and a sacred temple. In the rain forests of Central America, the great Mayan civilization advanced the study of ancient astronomy through a sophisticated system of mathematics designed to calculate celestial movements. Here, the revered king Netzahualpilli would ascend to the roof of his palace to converse with the stars on matters of state. The Mayan codices speak of Kukulcan, the feathered-serpent deity who represented Venus, and whose presence permeated Mayan society, and influenced methods of agriculture, warfare, and rituals of human sacrifice. So powerful was the influence of Venus among the Mayans that the architecture and designs of buildings and monuments were skewed to focus attention on its wanderings. The prominent role of astronomy in ancient cultures reached its zenith, perhaps, with the mighty Inca Empire in western South America. The Incas incorporated their knowledge of the sky into the very plan of their capital city of Cuzco. Aveni details the astounding ceque system of city planning that was based on astronomical observations and unified Inca ideas about celestial events, religion, social organization, time-keeping, and agriculture. Taking readers on a stimulating journey through time and space, Stairways to the Stars is science writing at its very best, deftly linking past and present, while deepening our understanding of our ancestors and how they lived, as well as our sense of our own humanity. On Behind the Crystal Ball: "A vastly entertaining inquiry into the roots of magic and science . . . with unflagging wit and a sharp critical eye." — Evan Hadingham Coexecutive Producer, Discovery Magazine On Empires of Time: "One of the best books on a scientific theme for the serious general reader that I have read for some time." — John Barrow, author of Pi in the Sky "The author is obviously in command of his material. . . . His exploration of the mysteries of time provides an eminently stimulating read." — Nature On Conversing with the Planets: "A popular synthesis of the ancient search for celestial order." — Scientific American "In this intriguing work, Anthony Aveni writes with a mastery and polish that is wonderfully accessible, akin to an engaging classroom lecture." — The New York Times Book Review

wiley

"Tony Aveni has written a marvelous book about how the celestial rhythms influenced the cultures of the past. . . . It makes fascinating reading for any layperson."―Science Books and Films 
"Clearly, if we can know more about these people, their religion, their culture, their hopes and dreams, according to Dr. Aveni, it will make our understanding of their astronomy more meaningful."―Planetarian "A thoughtful analysis . . . highly recommended."―Library Journal What was the meaning of Stonehenge? What was the Mayan Code? Why was the elaborate Incan city of Cuzco built? Groundbreaking archaeoastronomer Anthony Aveni offers a host of startling new insights and conclusions in this acclaimed study of three of life's most mesmerizing mysteries.

Politics & Social Sciences

Anthropology

Oxbow says: In the modern world technology has meant that night no longer means darkness, we don't rely on the sun to keep us warm and the celestial sky, and what is beyond, is there to be quantitifed and theorised about. Although modern science means that we can explain a great deal about the sky, as individuals we no longer rely on it to guide our lives. Written by the renowned archaeoastronomer Anthony Aveni, this book describes what we have lost - how our ancestors used, and relied upon the sky in their everyday lives. Written in an informal and engaging style, each chapter takes a different theme beginning with stories from a number of different cultures about the sky. Aveni discusses why constellations were invented, how stars were used in navigation, how the cosmos acted as a seasonal clock for farmers, the importance of the sky in urban design and in legitimating the power and ancestry of rulers, and the development of timekeeping. Covering a broad range of cultures, the book explores different views of the sky by different people, and different places and different points in history.

People and the Sky: Our Ancestors and the Cosmos

Reference

Thames&Hudson

Behind the Crystal Ball

Religion & Spirituality

Random House Value Publishing

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Books by Aveni, Anthony