The Search for a Satisfactory Culture. Trends in Archaeo-Astronomy during the Soviet Period in Estonia

Research and fieldwork in archaeo-astronomy from the 1960s to the 1990s in Estonia coincided with the national movement there, thus helping to create a satisfying perception of history and national identity during the Soviet period. Myths, folklore and mythological motifs were associated with the prehistoric sky and reckoning of time; the calendar, time reckoning, sacred sites, and rock drawings were studied, symbols and marks were decoded. The fine arts and documental works making use of similar themes achieved a high level of expressive power that had an influence on mentality and culture,even outside of Estonia. At the centre of this movement were many charismatic individuals. Research, which was interdisciplinary in its nature, took place outside the framework of existing institutions, as a result of which the choice of fields of study, the manner of approach and resulting interpretations were much freer.