Final Exam Review Flashcards - Unit 2

Flashcards for reviewing Unit 2 material, covering key terminology, religious expressions, sacred sites, indigenous religions, writing and myth, Israelite religion, and the Axial Age.

Qafzeh Cave

Cave containing the oldest known intentional human burials (c. 100,000 BCE).

Red Ochre

A pigment used in early rituals and burials, reflecting spiritual awareness.

Löwenmensch

An early figurine (c. 40,000 BCE) that may represent a totemic or shamanic symbol.

Totemism

A system of belief in which each human is said to have a spiritual connection or kinship with another physical being, such as an animal or plant.

Talisman

An object believed to have magical powers to protect or bring good fortune.

Shamanism

A person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of good and evil spirits.

Liminal space

A transitional or in-between space, often believed to bridge the human and spirit worlds.

Venus figurines

Figurines (38,000–10,000 BCE) thought to be fertility symbols or precursors to mother-goddess figures.

Baghor Stone

A sacred outdoor ritual site in India with feminine symbolism.

Animism

The belief that all elements of nature are alive with spirit.

Göbekli Tepe

The first known ritual complex (c. 9600 BCE), built before agriculture.

Megalith

A large stone, often used in prehistoric monuments.

Ayn Ghazal statues

Early statues from Jordan, representing ancestor veneration.

Yangshao culture

An ancient culture in China known for ancestor worship, dragon symbolism, and matrilineal burial.

Newgrange

A megalithic passage tomb in Ireland, aligned with the solstices.

Stonehenge

A prehistoric monument in England, aligned with solstices and reflecting sky-watching.

Cuneiform

An ancient writing system of Mesopotamia.

Massebah

Standing Stone used in Canaanite worship.

Enuma Elish

A Babylonian creation epic in which Marduk defeats Tiamat and creates the cosmos.

Eridu Genesis

A Mesopotamian creation myth.

Epic of Gilgamesh

An epic poem from Mesopotamia. Includes a flood story with Utnapishtim.

Dreamtime

Australian Aboriginal understanding of the world, its creation, and its ongoing processes.

Popol Vuh

A Mayan creation myth where humans are made of maize.

Orisha

Deities in the Yoruba religion, embodying forces of nature.

Olodumare

The Supreme being in the Yoruba religion.

Ashe

Spiritual energy in Yoruba traditions that must be honored.

Syncretism

The blending of different religions or cultures.

Axial Age

A transformative period (800–200 BCE) focused on inward reflection, ethics, and universal truths.