archaeoastronomy: Meaning and Definition of

ar•chae•o•as•tron•o•my

Pronunciation: (är"kē-ō-u-stron'u-mē), [key]
— n.
  1. the branch of archaeology that deals with the apparent use by prehistoric civilizations of astronomical techniques to establish the seasons or the cycle of the year, esp. as evidenced in the construction of megaliths and other ritual structures.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.