"The correct analyses of myths and of mythical thought, of symbols and primordial images, especially the religious creations that emerge from Oriental and 'primitive' cultures, are, in my opinion, the only way to open the Western mind and to introduce a new, planetary humanism."

- Mircea Eliade (1976)

My research interests are diverse, but the dominant theme is the history of cosmology, with 'cosmology' defined in the widest sense: knowledge about the origin, structure and workings of the natural world on all levels, from subatomic particles to galaxies.

This includes the history of science proper, but also of traditional cosmology: prescientific conceptions of the world defined more by cultural tradition than by repeated observation, logic and restraint. Of special interest to me are the earlier or more archaic belief systems and the potential evidence they contain of transient natural events. The latter range from objectively innocuous spectacles such as aurorae and solar eclipses through potentially more harmful events like meteorite falls and localised earthquakes to much more impactful phenomena on even larger scales, traditionally the preserve of catastrophist thinkers.

One long-term project concerns the emergence of planetary astronomy, primarily in the ancient Near East and the Graeco-Roman world. Another is the reconstruction of a global template of 'creation mythology', with possible physical explanations for its origins.

character

These subjects are of an interdisciplinary character, combining aspects of humanities such as the history of science, the history of religions, art history, comparative mythology, archaeology and anthropology with geology, palaeontology, geophysics, astronomy and other natural sciences.

They are also sensitive on both sides of an ideological divide. On one hand, specialists are often wary of any combination of catastrophism and myth or 'recent', due to a history of pseudoscience in this area. At the other end are those who feel my approach is too timid as long as I omit alien visitations, numerology and sacred geometry, a young, hollow or flat earth, divinely revealed scriptures, technologically advanced civilisations in the Ice Age and so on. It is a fine line to tread, but the principle is simple: a courageous, dispassionate use of the scientific method, relying solely on adequate evidence and logic.

sources

Tradition refers to anything passed on collectively within one or more societies, often imbued with a sense of sacrality and truth. Myths and legends, rituals, designs of portable objects (such as pottery, statuary and costumes), of architectural monuments (such as pyramids, stūpas and cathedrals) and on the ground, rocks or natural walls (such as stone circles, geoglyphs and petroglyphs), in all their myriad combinations, are replete with references to the natural world and its past. Some of this information is still available to us in the mute form of ruins and artefacts or in oral tradition. Another repository is the written record of history. All frequently incorporate observations of the sky or the landscape and interpretations thereof.

As far as the celestial aspect is concerned, such traditional information has been the ambit of disciplines labelled 'archaeoastronomy', 'cultural astronomy', the 'history of astronomy' and the 'history of ideas' or 'of religion', depending on geographical and chronological scope. Geomythology addresses any geological and indeed palaeontological implications and applications of myth in particular.

utility

The study of historical information about the natural environment is useful in a variety of ways. It is of interest in its own right, facilitating our understanding of past societies and their outlook on the world, not least their religions. This is especially felt in cases where recent discoveries in science shed fresh light on historical data that had previously been inscrutable.

Conversely, historical sources have much to contribute to science. They can broaden our perspective on what is possible in nature and can complement the scientific reconstruction of the past 10,000 to 20,000 years. Areas that stand to gain much from historical input include: solar cycles and aurorae; eclipses; comets, meteor showers, meteorites and the zodiacal light; extreme weather events and climate change; earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; biodiversity; and the development of human consciousness, conduct and society.

Marinus Anthony van der Sluijs
2000-2024