On the Astronomical Knowledge and Traditions of Aboriginal Australians
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On the Astronomical Knowledge and Traditions of Aboriginal Australians By Duane Willis Hamacher II a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy | December 2011 ii c Duane Willis Hamacher II, . Typeset in LATEX 2". iii Except where acknowledged in the customary manner, the material presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge, original and has not been submitted in whole or part for a degree in any university. Duane Willis Hamacher II iv Contents Dedication xiii Acknowledgements xv Abstract xvii Preface xix List of Publications xxiii List of Figures xxv List of Tables xxix 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Hypotheses . 1 1.2 Aims . 4 1.3 Objectives . 5 1.4 Structure . 5 2 Discipline, Theory, & Methodology 7 2.1 Cultural Astronomy . 7 2.1.1 Archaeoastronomy & Ethnoastronomy . 8 2.1.2 Historical Astronomy . 9 v vi Contents 2.1.3 Geomythology . 9 2.2 Theory . 10 2.3 Methodology . 13 2.4 Rigour . 16 3 Indigenous History & Culture 23 3.1 Human Migration to Australia . 23 3.2 Language & The Dreaming . 28 3.3 Indigeneity & Self{Identification . 31 3.4 Researching Indigenous Knowledge . 34 4 Review of Aboriginal Astronomy 41 4.1 What is Aboriginal Astronomy? . 41 4.2 Why Study Aboriginal Astronomy? . 42 4.3 Literature on Aboriginal Astronomy . 45 4.4 Examples of Aboriginal Astronomy . 46 4.4.1 Timekeeping & Written Records . 47 4.4.2 Observations of Planetary Motions . 48 4.4.3 Astronomy in Stone Arrangements & Rock Art . 51 5 Dating Techniques 55 5.1 Introduction . 55 5.2 Techniques for Dating Aboriginal Astronomy . 56 5.3 Technique 1: Archaeological Dating . 58 5.4 Technique 2: Dating Natural Events . 58 5.5 Positional Astronomy: Background Theory . 59 5.5.1 The Celestial Sphere . 61 5.5.2 Effect 1: Precession . 65 5.5.3 Effect 2: Stellar Proper Motion & Radial Velocity . 66 5.5.4 Effect 3: Stellar Magnitude & Variability . 68 5.6 Technique 3: Testing Connections . 70 Contents vii 5.6.1 Coalsack Nebula . 71 5.6.2 Arcturus . 76 5.6.3 Capella & The Beehive Cluster . 78 5.6.4 Fomalhaut . 79 5.6.5 Pleiades . 82 5.6.6 Vega . 84 5.6.7 Summary . 86 5.7 Technique 3: Constellation Pattern{Matching . 86 5.8 Technique 4: Using Oral Traditions . 94 5.9 Conclusion . 95 6 Eta Carinae 97 6.1 Introduction . 98 6.2 William E. Stanbridge: Biographical Details . 100 6.3 Identification of Boorong Celestial Objects . 101 6.4 Identification of Eta Carinae . 110 6.5 About Eta Carinae . 114 6.6 Other Attempts to Identify Collowgullouric War . 117 6.7 Eta Carinae Previously in Boorong Culture? . 119 6.8 Celestial Phenomena in Oral Traditions . 120 6.9 Other Indigenous Records of Eta Carinae . 122 6.10 Conclusions . 124 7 Eclipses 125 7.1 Introduction . 126 7.2 Science of the Earth{Moon{Sun System . 126 7.2.1 Lunar Phases . 126 7.2.2 Eclipses . 127 7.3 Aboriginal Stories of the Sun and Moon . 129 7.4 Aboriginal Reactions to Eclipses . 132 7.4.1 Solar Eclipses . 132 viii Contents 7.4.2 Lunar Eclipses . 135 7.5 Causes of Eclipses: An Aboriginal Perspective . 137 7.5.1 Solar Eclipses . 137 7.5.2 Lunar Eclipses . 140 7.6 Dating Oral Traditions from Historic Eclipses . 141 7.7 Predicting Eclipses . 144 7.8 Representations of Eclipses in Rock Art . 145 7.9 Discussion . 147 8 Comets 153 8.1 Introduction . 154 8.2 Comets . 154 8.3 Methodology & Results . 156 8.4 Aboriginal Perceptions of Comets . 157 8.5 Historic Visible Comets . 160 8.5.1 C/1843 D1 (Great March Comet of 1843) . 160 8.5.2 C/1844 Y2 (Great Comet of 1844) . 162 8.5.3 C/1861 N1 (Comet Tebbutt) . 163 8.5.4 C/1901 G1 (Comet Viscara) . 164 8.5.5 C/1910 A1 (Great Daylight Comet of 1910) . 166 8.5.6 C/1927 X1 (Comet Skjellerup{Maristany) . 167 8.6 Discussion & Conclusion . 169 9 Meteors 175 9.1 Introduction . 176 9.2 Terminology . 177 9.3 Methodology . 178 9.4 Results & Analysis . 179 9.4.1 Meteors as Benevolent Spirits . 179 9.4.2 Meteors as Malevolent Spirits . 181 9.4.3 Meteors and Evil Magic . 184 Contents ix 9.4.4 Meteors as Omens . 185 9.4.5 Meteors and War . 187 9.4.6 Meteors in Ritual & Ceremony . 188 9.4.7 Other Views of Meteors . 193 9.4.8 Meteor Showers . 194 9.5 Discussion . 196 9.5.1 Perceptions of Meteoritic Phenomena . 197 9.5.2 Witness of Cosmic Impacts . 198 9.5.3 Researcher & Discipline Bias . 199 9.6 Conclusion . 201 10 Meteorite Falls & Cosmic Impacts 205 10.1 Introduction . 206 10.2 Australian Impact Craters . 207 10.3 Geomythology . 210 10.4 Known Australian Impact Craters . 213 10.4.1 Gosse's Bluff . 213 10.4.2 Wolfe Creek . 214 10.4.3 Henbury . 216 10.4.4 Veevers . 217 10.4.5 Boxhole . 218 10.4.6 Other Craters . 218 10.4.7 Summary of the Evidence from Known Impact Craters . 218 10.5 Other Impact Sites . 219 10.5.1 New South Wales . 220 10.5.2 Northern Territory . 223 10.5.3 Western & South Australia . 226 10.5.4 Tasmania . 229 10.5.5 Queensland & Victoria . 229 10.6 Meteorites Falls & Finds . 233 x Contents 10.6.1 Aboriginal Discovery of Meteorites & Impact Craters . 236 10.6.2 Aboriginal Use of Meteoritic Material . 236 10.7 Statistics of Meteorite Falls & Impacts . 237 10.7.1 Meteoroid Influx Rate . 237 10.7.2 Probability of Being Struck by.