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The fall of Phaethon: a Greco-Roman geomyth preserves the memory of a meteorite impact in Bavaria (south-east Germany)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Barbara Rappenglück ,
Michael A. Rappenglück ,
Kord Ernstson ,
Werner Mayer ,
Andreas Neumair ,
Dirk Sudhaus  and
Ioannis Liritzis
Barbara Rappenglück
Affiliation:
Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Bahnhofstrasse 1, 82205 Gilching, Germany (Email: Barbara.Rappenglueck@evtheol.uni-muenchen.de)
Michael A. Rappenglück
Affiliation:
Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Bahnhofstrasse 1, 82205 Gilching, Germany (Email: Barbara.Rappenglueck@evtheol.uni-muenchen.de)
Kord Ernstson
Affiliation:
Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Judengarten 23, 97204 Höchberg, Germany (Email: kernstson@ernstson.de)
Werner Mayer
Affiliation:
Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Bahnhofstrasse 1, 82205 Gilching, Germany (Email: Barbara.Rappenglueck@evtheol.uni-muenchen.de)
Andreas Neumair
Affiliation:
Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Bahnhofstrasse 1, 82205 Gilching, Germany (Email: Barbara.Rappenglueck@evtheol.uni-muenchen.de)
Dirk Sudhaus
Affiliation:
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Institut für Physische Geographie, 79085 Freiburg, Germany (Email: dirk.sudhaus@gmx.net)
Ioannis Liritzis
Affiliation:
University of the Aegean, Department of Mediterranean Studies, Dimokratias 1, 85100 Rhodes, Greece (Email: liritzis@rhodes.aegean.gr)
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Abstract

Arguing from a critical reading of the text, and scientific evidence on the ground, the authors show that the myth of Phaethon – the delinquent celestial charioteer – remembers the impact of a massive meteorite that hit the Chiemgau region in Bavaria between 2000 and 428 BC.

Keywords

Bronze AgePhaethonOvidmeteoriteCeltsmyth
Type
Research articles
Information
Antiquity , Volume 84 , Issue 324 , June 2010 , pp. 428 - 439
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd 2010

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