Archaeology, Magic, Ritual and Witchcraft UNEX XL 120A Spring 2007 Dr. Patrick A. Polk: Archaeology, Magic, Ritual and Witchcraft UNEX XL 120A Spring 2007 Dr. Patrick A. Polk
Divining the Supernatural in Archaeological Inquiry: Divining the Supernatural in Archaeological Inquiry Human Context (spatial, cultural, historical, etc.)
Intention (individual, collective, act of belief,
tradition or customary behavior, etc.)
Action (associated behaviors, ritualized or otherwise)
Putting Labels On Intentions/Actions: Putting Labels On Intentions/Actions Magic Religion
Science Witchcraft
Sorcery Faith
Piety Sacrilegious
Divination Heresy
Shamanism Pseudo-Science
Belief Superstition
Occult Vernacular Religion
Supernatural Numinous
Magico-Religious Sacred
Renfrew, “The Archaeology of Religion”: Renfrew, “The Archaeology of Religion” Archaeology of the Mind: Supernatural is Significant
Component of Human Symbolic Behavior
Religion: Framework of Beliefs Relating to Forces that
Transcend the Everyday Material World
Religious Experience: Personal Understandings/Experiences
of the Sacred or Numinous
Mystery and Purpose in the Human Condition: Religion as
System of Beliefs that Provides Answers to Fundamental
Existential Dilemmas, Generally through Ritualized Actions
Caveat: “Archaeological recovery of these belief systems may, in most cases, be exceedingly difficult” (p. 49)
Social Aspects, Functions, and Consequences of Religion: Social Aspects, Functions, and Consequences of Religion A Shared Belief System
Social and Cultural Phenomenon
The Archaeologist “hopes to define
actions, ritual actions, which were
carried out at specific places in
special ways” (p. 49)
Class and Economic Aspects/Conflicts
Functionalist Interpretations
Genetic Determination of Religious Behavior
Religious Systems Can be Integral to Culture Change
Recognizing Religion: Recognizing Religion “The logic of inquiry must, I believe, start from the general
properties of religious belief and of cult practice…” (p. 51)
“But any archaeological recognition of ritual and hence of
religion, is likely to be based upon such indicators…” (p.51)
Archaeological Indicator of Ritual (See pp. 51f. for details)
Focusing of Attention
Boundary Zone Between this World and the Next
Presence of the Deity
Participation and Offering
Defining Ritual: Defining Ritual
The basic social act
Symbolic behavior that is standardized
and repetitive
Recurrent symbolic enactments, customs, and
ceremonies
The storehouse of a community's central values
Values, beliefs and ideals put into action
Slide8: Prayers, curses, invocations, offerings, church services,
meals, parties, initiations, graduations, inaugurations,
celebrations, births, birthdays, weddings, divorces,
holidays, parades, protests, commemorations, funerals,
memorials, dressing, undressing, eating, etc.
Essentially all areas of human endeavor have ritualized
aspects and their fundamental cultural meanings are
generally highlighted in key ritual moments/acts What Activities Are Rituals/Include Ritual Acts?
The Iconography of Religion: The Iconography of Religion “The most coherent insights into the belief
systems of the past must come…from the
analysis of symbolic systems” (p.53)
Systematic Analysis When Symbolic Material is
Rarely Abundant
“The question is equivalent to asking whether the
same system of beliefs, and the same symbolic
system for linking the signifier and the thing
signified, are in operation at the various sites”
(p.54)
Jonuks, “Archaeology of Religion”: Jonuks, “Archaeology of Religion” Archaeological In-Joke: Unidentifiable
Artifacts are Classified as “Cultic Objects”
Data Sources for Estonian Prehistoric
Religion:
Folkloric
Written
Archaeological
Folkloric and Written Sources: Folkloric and Written Sources Tales, Songs, Chronicles, Sagas Have
Religious Content that May Relate to
Prehistoric Religiosity
Oral and Written Tradition, however, is
Dynamic and Impacted by Nationalistic
and Historicizing Discourses
Useful, but not Primary Sources of Data
Archaeological Sources: Archaeological Sources Burials/Graves Most Significant
Landscape/Spatiality of the Sacred
Find Material (e.g. weapons, jewelry,
etc.)
Monuments (temples, groves, sacrificial
sites, etc.)
Isolating Recurring Phenomena:
Stone Graves with Cultic Constructions
Pendants and Occupational/Social Status
Important Aspects of Study: Important Aspects of Study Religion is Dynamic and Undergoes Constant Changes
Newer Phenomena are Fitted to Earlier Material
Interdisciplinarity
Rituality
Definition of Key Terms
View Prehistoric Religion as a General Framework
Mullen, “Belief and the American Folk”: Mullen, “Belief and the American Folk” Folklore Genre: Belief
Intrinsic to Many Genres: custom, ritual,
legend, memorate, charm, omen,
divination, folk religion, faith healing,
etc.
“Belief suggests an abstract level of
cognition, but in order to study it we must
look at concrete practice and cultural
expression” (p. 120)
Conceptualizing Belief: Conceptualizing Belief Religion/Superstition
Folk Belief
Literate/Illiterate
Urban/Rural
Official/Unofficial
Organized/Unorganized
Archaic/Contemporary
Vernacular Religion
Lived Religion
Belief is a Crucial Aspect of
Everyday Experience