Hi Pete,

I'm afraid that most of the relevant articles -- including the early studies (1, 2) and the most recent analyses (3) -- have been published in German. However, some of the discoveries made in the Czech Republic were published in English (4). There is also a book by Alex Gibson of Bradford University, which I haven't read yet (5).

The latest findings were discussed at a recent conference organised by the University of Halle in May 2005. For example, a team of twelve archaeologists and scientists from the University of Vienna is currently investigating 47 monumental neolithic enclosures in Austria. According to their conference abstract, the analysis of each monument comprises the following steps: digital photogrammetry, detailed magnetic surveys, a three-dimensional reconstruction of the monuments and their environment, targeted excavations based on these digital models, and archaeoastronomical simulations.

As you know, some of these henge monuments (especially Goseck in Germany) were hailed as the earliest solar observatories in Europe. Having investigated 28 monuments in Austria, Georg Zotti of the Vienna team announced that the layout of these structures, built between 4800 and 4500 BC, points to Antares, Deneb, the Pleiades and Rigel (Orion).

La plus ca change ...

Michael



(1) Jörg Petrasch, Mittelneolithische Kreisgrabenanlagen in Mitteleuropa (Frankfurt 1990)
(2) Gerhard Trnka, Studien zu mittelneolithischen Kreisgrabenanlagen (Vienna 1991)
(3) F. Bertemes, P. Biehl & H. Meller (eds), Neolithische Kreisgrabenanlagen in Europa (Halle 2005)
(4) Vladimir Podborsky (ed), Primeval Socio-Cultural Architecture in Moravia (Brno 1999)
(5) Alex Gibson (ed.), Behind wooden walls: Neolithic palisaded enclosures in Europe (Oxford 2002)