I am seeking a sponsor (home site) for a mailing list on archaeoastronomy. I will be list administrator and moderator. Thanks for your help. Will Wagers [log in to unmask] ----- > Preliminary Proposal for ARCHAEOASTRONOMY Mailing List > >Archaeoastronomy is an unusual discipline in that it is both >scientific and scholarly. While its concerns overlap those of >astronomy, archaeoastronomy is seldom concerned with particle >physics or grand unified theories - except as they might >relate to ancient astronomy (theoretical cosmology) and >astrology (the ancient applied science of the calendar). >Archaeoastronomy is devoted to discovering and understanding >ancient astronomical observations and theories and their >manifestations in ancient culture. > >The field has gained momentum over the past ten years to the >point where researchers are in the field all over the world. >The primary cultures currently under active investigation >include: the Aztec, Mayan, and other American Indian, the >Egyptian, Greek, Babylonian, Chinese, Hebraic, Indian, and early >Christian cultures. > >Among a diverse group of individuals, ARCHAEOASTRONOMY will >facilitate the secular discussion of interdisciplinary and >intercultural topics related to archaeoastronomy, which >include anthropology, architecture, natural philosophy >(science), ancient cultures, ancient philosophies, ancient >religions, and the archaeology of ancient sites with an eye >toward astronomical alignments. Archaeoastronomy is a plexus >where all these disciplines intersect; yet its primary focus >is of little interest in the mainstreams of the other >disciplines with the possible exception of archaeology. > >Amateurs are welcome both because amateurs sometimes >contribute to this field - as they do in astronomy - and >because interested high school and college and graduate >students will enjoy exposure to a high level of scholarship in >a young field. However, the discourse in ARCHAEOASTRONOMY >assumes a familiarity with one or more fields, such as >archaeology, history of art or literature, philosophy, >religion, or science, or bearing upon the subjects discussed. >This is not a forum for propounding non-scientific theories of >human culture, e.g alien or divine intervention. > > I propose the creation of a separate, unmoderated newsgroup - >ARCHAEOASTRONOMY - to address the communication needs of >archaeoastronomers, colleagues, students, and devotees (many >of whom are amateurs, as in astronomy). ARCHAEOASTRONOMY will >serve the following functions: > > 1. electronic conference services - a way for people >to discuss new developments in the field; to debate alternate >approaches to interpretation; to plan and arrange academic >conferences, seminars, and publications; to discuss public >initiatives affecting the field; and to solicit assistance and >advice from their peers; > 2. electronic notification services - post job, >conference, specialized computer hardware and software and >other technical equipment, and publication announcements; > 3. electronic publication services - exchange data >(text, numbers, graphics), facilitate the use of computers and >networks to produce articles, papers, bibliographies, books, >etc. > >