Shamanism

Entries Tagged as 'Shamanism'

Lion-Man or Lioness-Woman?

December 10th, 2011 · 3 Comments · Archaeology, Hunter-Gatherers, Shamanism

The Lion-Man figurine from Hohlenstein-Stadel cave in southwestern Germany is one of the oldest and most spectacular Paleolithic figurines. It is approximately 33,000 years old and was carved from mammoth tusk. When discovered in 1939, it was in hundreds of small pieces which fit together with this result:
This is a splendid example of therianthropy, a [...]

Universal Shamanism: The Japanese Context

December 3rd, 2011 · 3 Comments · History, Hunter-Gatherers, Magic, Shamanism

In religious studies and popular usage, the term “universal” is used to describe religions which are open to all and transcend ethnic, geographic, political, and cultural boundaries. Three religions are usually cited as universal: Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Some newer religions, such as Mormonism and Bahá’í, would also qualify. But if we take a longer [...]

Dream, Trance, Vision

November 29th, 2011 · 4 Comments · Cognition, Hunter-Gatherers, Shamanism

There can be little doubt that fluctuations in consciousness are a major contributing factor to beliefs in the supernatural. Although there are other aspects of mind that are also contributing factors (such as agency detection, theory of mind, causal sequencing, and pattern imposition), one thing that surely would have mystified or perplexed early modern humans [...]

Entoptics or Doodles: Children of the Cave

October 1st, 2011 · 10 Comments · Archaeology, Cognition, Ritual, Shamanism

There was a time when Paleolithic cave paintings were construed primarily through the lens of “art,” an interpretive stance which assumes that at least some Paleolithic peoples were “artists” who painted for pleasure. Because this lens is so subjective (and creative), all manner of interpretations were offered. Whether prosaic or fanciful, this approach raised troubling [...]

Open Access Articles on Neolithic Transition

September 22nd, 2011 · 1 Comment · Hunter-Gatherers, Neolithic, Shamanism

As regular readers of the blog know, there are profound differences in supernatural beliefs and practices before and after the Neolithic transition. This cleavage is so substantial that I do not use the term “religion” to describe pre-Neolithic or Paleolithic beliefs and practices. Instead, I use the word “supernaturalism” to indicate that Paleolithic peoples were [...]

Consciousness, Dreams & The Supernatural

September 21st, 2011 · 14 Comments · Cognition, Hunter-Gatherers, Shamanism

The notion of binaries or opposites is deeply entrenched in Western culture and thought. Although it seems perfectly natural to perceive and categorize the world in terms of dichotomies (black-white, either-or), what seems natural is actually learned. Our teacher in this regard is Aristotle, who was so impressed by the Pythagorean Table of Opposites that [...]

Meet New Shaman, Same as Old Shaman

August 11th, 2011 · No Comments · Globalization, History, Ritual, Shamanism

Sometimes getting fooled again is good for you, as in healing good. Shamans have been healing people for tens of thousands of years, using their considerable powers of persuasion and that most efficacious of treatments: placebo.
While shamanic healing methods are varied, there is a great deal of ritual similarity across time and space: trance, sucking, [...]

African Shaman Mask

July 19th, 2011 · 1 Comment · Shamanism

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Slipknot Shaman

July 9th, 2011 · 5 Comments · Archaeology, Shamanism

Over at Live Science, Owen Jarus reports on a visually stunning and spooky mask recently discovered in Pennsylvania:

The lead archaeologist thinks the mask dates to about 900 AD and may have been used by a shaman. Other archaeologists think the mask may be more recent and aren’t sure whether it was a ritual or personal [...]

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Twisted Saga of “World’s Oldest Ritual”

June 30th, 2011 · 1 Comment · Archaeology, Methodology, Ritual, Shamanism

In 2006, University of Oslo archaeologist Sheila Coulson gave an open lecture about her work at a small cave in the Tsodilo Hills of northern Botswana. Although her lecture focused on Middle Stone Age tools recovered from the cave and an unusual rock formation that looked to her like a snake or python, she also [...]

Genealogy of Religion

Exploring the Origins, History and Future of Religion