"Megalithic Astronomy"

This term, which is a chapter title in Alexander Thom’s first topic, came to be synonymous with Thom’s ideas concerning the astronomical significance of the megalithic monuments of Britain. It is generally felt by archaeologists to be unhelpful (along with terms such as “megalithic mensuration,” “megalithic geometry,” and “megalithic man”) because there was no “megalithic culture” as such. The prehistoric communities who built many of the mega-lithic monuments of Britain and Ireland also built structures in earth, timber, and other materials; it is just that the stone constructions have best withstood the passing of time so that many of them remain, conspicuous, in the modern landscape.