ARCH 226 - Module 3 - Archeological Examples of Shamanic Behaviour

Recognizing Shamanism in archeology: Winkelman

argues that archeologists would be better off utilizing ethnological analogy rather than ethnographic analogy

Recognizing Shamanism in archeology: VanPool

Attempts to use cross-cultural patterns in shamanic behaviours as a basis for recognizing shaman behaviours in prehistory

Explain Shamanic Sacra

The means by which archeologists could recognize shamanism through particular artifact analysis (usually ritualistic)

Explain Priest Traits (4)

- full-time religious specialists
- found usually in agricultural societies with social stratification
- Functions as a representative for a specific deity to gain favour
- Does not seek ASC and rarely directly interacts with spirits

Shamanism vs Priests (VanPool)

"Reflects the co-occurence of religious traits that tend to correspond with one another as the level of cultural complexity shifts"

Shamanism vs Priests (Winkelman)

- Priests and shamans are not mutually exclusive

ASC vs SSC (Shamanic State of Consciousness) (VanPool)

- ASC "The process of creating a trance state"
- SSC "the interpretation of these trances as to gain access to the spirit world"

Types of Psychoactive plants used to enter ASC (3)

- Tobacco
- Peyote
- Datura

Types of ASC experiences caused by the psychoactive plants (3)

- Visual & auditory hallucinations
- Sensation of flying/
swimming
- Extreme emotional feelings (fear of death)

Explain Entoptic images

usually geometric visuals done In artwork

Forms of Entoptic imaging (10)

- Dots
- Grids
- Lattices
- Honeycombs
- Checkerboards
- Arcs
- Cobwebs
- Tunnels
- Stars
- Spirals

Entoptic images and Shamans (3)

- Associated with ASC
- Culturally specific
- images are usually passed down shaman to shaman

Tobacco Effects on Shamans (3)

- Wide spread use in Americas
- Often causes depictions of bird imagery
- Causes painting in colours of black/white/yellows

Peyote and Shamanism (2)

- Hallucinogenic
- Causes paining in colours of violet purple, blue, brownish oranges, dark/light greens, greenish/orangish yellows

Datura and Shamanism (5)

- Contains alkaloid poison that inhibits CNS and causes vivid disturbing hallucinations
- Widespread use in new world
- Often requires restraining the user
- concerns towards permanent eye damage
- Does not affect colours

VanPool on Datura use (2)

- Inability to read
- Printed pages appear as bar code

Some Sounds used by Shamans during rituals? (3)

- Rhythimic sounds
- Drums usually
- Rattles, bells, etc

Shamanic Sacra: Turner's Thoughts

"the totality of representational art, artifacts, and icons that by interference appear to have been charged with conventional supernatural meaning, in the context of ritual activity or display"

Examples of Shamanic Sacra in the Casas Grandes Area (8)

- Pipes / drug paraphernalia
- Curing sticks/tubes
- Shrines/altars
- Rock art
- Drums/rattles/bells
- Feathers/headresses
- Masks/ritual clothing
- Fetishes & Quartz crystals

Key evidence for identifying Shamanic Sacra (VanPool)

imagery depicting shamans interacting with spirit world, or tutelary animals. Often Entoptic imagery, among other Shamanic behaviours

Explain the Ritualistic spaces if Shamans (5)

- Common drug use
- Common Noisemakers
- Physical manifestations of plane transitions (caves, mans, springs, etc)
- Frequently have an altar
- Often contain quartz crystals

Evidence at the Casas Grandes site for Shamanic Behaviour (5)

- Stone Imagery in colours associated with tobacco use
- Depictions of reoccurring themes
- "Macaw headed man"
- Imagery of a soul journey
- Entoptic imagery

Shaman and Art (Hayden) (2)

- Shaman are known for mental instability
- Shamans are also noted for being the most artistically gifted among many societies

Shamanic behaviour with and around art (3)

- Often considered the story tellers/keepers
- The ones that passed down information
- possible origination of artistic traditions

Facts of the "oldest" art found (6)

- 540,000 yrs ago
- Shark teeth found
- Excavated mussels
- Shells found
- Considerable amount of work went into these artifacts to make them possibly art works
- Contains Entoptic imagery engraved upon

Art found at the Bilzingsleben Site in Germany (3)

- 370,000 years old
- possible bone fragments
- Most likely intentionally modified for art

Facts about the Blombos Cave (3)

- South African cave site
- Early art form of engraved ochre
- Might be shamanic in nature

Artwork of Aurignacian culture

- Mellars are first widespread artwork/culture across Europe
- first realistic representation of animals in art
- possible entoptic imagery
- "Lion man Imagery"

Explain the "lion man" imagery of the Aurignacian culture (3)

- Possibly depictions of shamanist behaviour
- May represent shamanic transformation into animal spirit
- Possible entoptic imagery

Artifacts and information about Abri Castanet, France (6)

- Earliest carvings in Europe
- Dated 37,000 yrs ago
- Etched in roof of cave
- Though to be AMH
- Possible representation of female genitalia (Earth Mother)
- Lacks clear context and entoptic imagery

Artifacts and information about Apollo 11 cave (4)

- dated 27,000 yrs ago
- contains animals painted on stone plaquettes
- possible toys??
- Possible tutelary animal

Information about Venus Figures (4)

- First examples of clay statues found
- Probably sign of fertility
- Probably not Shamanic
- Usually not proportionate appearing female figures

Cave Art: Lascaux (France) (3)

- Lots of animal paintings
- Possible entoptic images
- Possible shamanic behaviour

Cave Art: Altamira (Spain) (2)

- Lots of bull paintings
- Possible spirit animal

Cave Art: Chauvet (France) (3)

- Rhinocéros paintings
- Leopard & hyena paintings
- possible spirit animals

Explain the possible Use of Animation during upper Palaeolithic era??

- Hand drawn animals appear to flicker in fire lit cave
- Hand stencils found all over

Artifacts found at the Hilton Tachtit Site (7)

- remains buried under large heavy stone slabs
- female remains
- deformed
- animal bones
- stone figures
- golden age feathers
- other animal parts

Meaning of the Hilton Tachtit Site (4)

- Most likely a shamanic figure buried.
- One of the few female shamans found.
- A most likely feared person due to burial process and location
- Assumed a great power possibly