Shamanism and the Ancient Mind: A Cognitive Approach to ArchaeologyPearson brings a cogent, well-argued case for the understanding of much prehistoric art as shamanistic practice. Using the theoretical premises of cognitive archaeology and a careful examination of rock art worldwide, Pearson is able to dismiss other theories of why ancient peoples produced art_totemism, art-for-art's sake, structuralism, hunting magic. Then examining both ethnographic and neuropsychological evidence, he makes a strong case for the use of shamanistic ritual and hallucinogenic substances as the genesis of much prehistoric art. Bolstered with examples from contemporary cultures and archaeological sites around the world, Pearson's thesis should be of interest not only to archaeologists, but art historians, psychologists, cultural anthropologist, and the general public. |
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Inhoudsopgave
The Nonarchaeological Case for Shamanism | 95 |
The Archaeological Evidence for Shamanism | 113 |
Approaching the Final Frontier | 145 |
Bibliography | 169 |
Index | 189 |
About the Author | |
Overige edities - Alles bekijken
Shamanism and the Ancient Mind: A Cognitive Approach to Archaeology James L. Pearson Gedeeltelijke weergave - 2002 |
Shamanism and the Ancient Mind: A Cognitive Approach to Archaeology James L. Pearson Fragmentweergave - 2002 |
Shamanism and the Ancient Mind: A Cognitive Approach to Archaeology James L. Pearson Fragmentweergave - 2002 |
Veelvoorkomende woorden en zinsdelen
activities altered American ancient animals appear approach archaeology areas argued associated Bahn Basin begin behavior beliefs body brain California caves Clottes cognitive complex concept concerning consciousness considered Coso Range created culture dating depicted developed Dowson early elements engravings entoptic ethnographic evidence example existing experience explanation fact figure function hallucinogenic human hunting idea images important individual interpretation knowledge known Lewis-Williams magic major material meaning mental metaphor methods mind motifs natural North objects observed paintings Paleolithic particular past patterns perspective petroglyphs phosphene plants Pleistocene position practices prehistoric processual produced provides realm recognized record referred region represent result Ripinsky-Naxon 1993 ritual rock art role scholars scientific shaman shamanistic sheep significant similar social societies specific spirit structure studies subjects suggested supernatural symbolic theory thought traditional trance understanding universe Upper western Whitley
Populaire passages
Pagina 161 - But ever since the dawn of civilization, people have not been content to see events as unconnected and inexplicable. They have craved an understanding of the underlying order in the world. Today we still yearn to know why we are here and where we came from. Humanity's deepest desire for knowledge is justification enough for our continuing quest. And our goal is nothing less than a complete description of the universe we live in.
Pagina 126 - I next enjoyed a sort of metempsychosis. Any animal or thing that I thought of could be made the being which held my mind. I thought of a fox, and instantly I was transformed into that animal. I could distinctly feel myself a fox, could see my long ears and bushy tail, and by a sort of introvision felt that my complete anatomy was that of a fox.
Pagina 74 - Hence any ecstatic cannot be considered a shaman; the shaman specializes in a trance during which his soul is believed to leave his body and ascend to the sky or descend to the...
Pagina 97 - It is my belief that the desire to alter consciousness periodically is an innate, normal drive analogous to hunger or the sexual drive.
Pagina 29 - Cognitive archaeology — the study of past ways of thought as inferred from material remains — still presents so many challenges to the practitioner that it seems an uncertain endeavor.
Pagina 161 - As philosopher of science Karl Popper has emphasized, a good theory is characterized by the fact that it makes a number of predictions that could in principle be disproved or falsified by observation. Each time new experiments are observed to agree with the predictions the theory survives, and our confidence in it is increased; but if ever a new observation is found to disagree, we have to abandon or modify the theory.
Pagina 95 - We have termed the ecstatic experience a "primary phenomenon" because we see no reason whatever for regarding it as the result of a particular historical moment, that is, as produced by a certain form of civilization. Rather, we would consider it fundamental in the human condition, and hence known to the whole of archaic humanity; what changed and was modified with the different forms of culture and religion was the interpretation and evaluation...
Pagina 97 - Throughout our entire history as a species, intoxication has functioned like the basic drives of hunger, thirst, or sex, sometimes overshadowing all other activities in life. Intoxication is the fourth drive. It is as bold and inescapable as the drug stories that dominate today's headlines. Individual and group survival depends on the ability to understand and control this basic motivation to seek out and use intoxicants. Herein are scores of stories of animals and forgotten...
Pagina 161 - Any physical theory is always provisional, in the sense that it is only a hypothesis: you can never prove it. No matter how many times the results of experiments agree with some theory, you can never be sure that the next time the result will not contradict the theory.
Pagina 65 - Do you believe then that the sciences would ever have arisen and become great if there had not beforehand been magicians, alchemists, astrologers, and wizards who thirsted and hungered after secret and forbidden powers?
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Bibliografische gegevens
| Titel | Shamanism and the Ancient Mind: A Cognitive Approach to Archaeology Volume 2 van Archaeology of religion |
| Auteur | James L. Pearson |
| Editie | geïllustreerd |
| Uitgever | Rowman Altamira, 2002 |
| ISBN | 0759101566, 9780759101562 |
| Lengte | 195 pagina's |
| Citatie exporteren | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |