MacKie's priesthood hypothesis and academic resistance to sophisticated prehistoric knowledge. MacKie proposes stone circles were ceremonial centers and instruments of a professional priesthood in the 3rd-2nd millennium BC Richard Atkinson argued in the 1950s that the labor at sites like Stonehenge and Silbury Hill required a powerful organizing group Colin Renfrew's 1973 book 'Before Civilization' proposed indigenous European innovation including prehistoric astronomy
MacKie argued stone circles were ceremonial centers run by a professional priesthood. Colin Renfrew's 1973 'Before Civilization' proposed indigenous European innovation including prehistoric astronomy - MacKie tried to explain how known sites were training colleges for this priesthood. Academia resisted - Ruggles and others pushed back against Thom's astronomical alignments work.
Key Facts
- MacKie proposes stone circles were ceremonial centers and instruments of a professional priesthood in the 3rd-2nd millennium BC
- Richard Atkinson argued in the 1950s that the labor at sites like Stonehenge and Silbury Hill required a powerful organizing group
- Colin Renfrew's 1973 book 'Before Civilization' proposed indigenous European innovation including prehistoric astronomy
- Clyde Ruggles' 1980s research attempted to disprove Thom's accurate astronomical alignments
- MacKie argues archaeology courses should teach surveying skills to assess alignments and stone circle geometry
- Orkney discoveries are beginning to suggest temples and priesthood existed, supporting Thom's predictions
Source: Geometry, Measure and Astronomy in Ancient Britain | Dr Euan MacKie | Megalithomania Interview by MegalithomaniaUK