Forms of Religion in Prehistory

Fetishism (Felirismus)

Fetishism, designated as "felirismus" in the text, is rooted in the practical experience of human beings who began to associate ordinary, everyday objects with supernatural properties. This belief system is established on the assumption that nature provides assistance, which in turn leads humans to designate and create sacred places (postrátných míst). From these sacred locations, individuals bring back small pieces of nature, specifically examples such as a stone ("komen") or a root ("retev"). These objects are referred to as "feliše," and humans attribute supernatural properties to them. A central aspect of fetishism is the belief in a narrow, exclusive relationship between the fetish and its owner; it is believed that the object can only provide assistance to that specific individual. Furthermore, there is a narrow specialization of fetishes, meaning a particular fetish is intended for a strictly defined activity, such as hunting deer (lov jeleni), fishing (ryb), or ensuring fertility (plodnosti).

Totemism (Totemismus)

Totemism represents a stage where the human being has not yet completely separated or distinguished themselves from the natural world. This form of religion arises from the posing of questions regarding origins, characterized by a deep feeling of belonging to nature. Individuals seek their primal ancestors among local animals or plants. The "totem" (bolemem) represents this original ancestor, which may be a specific animal (síře) or a flower/plant (květina). A defining feature of this system is the "taboo" (sabu), which dictates that nobody from the tribe ("nikdo 12 kmone") is permitted to kill ("sabit") the totem animal. There is a mystical link between the well-being of the totem and the tribe: the success and health of the totem directly correlate to how the entire tribe fares. If the totem is killed by the whole tribe, it is considered an exceptional event or representative of war ("usäska - válka"). Totemic rituals ("obrady") include dances (soner) that utilize masks (souby), body painting, and the imitation of movements. On rare and exceptional occasions, the ritual consumption or eating of the totem occurs.

Animism (Animismus)

Animism is defined by the worship and veneration of spirits and souls. Early humans adopted these beliefs because they were unable to explain various physical phenomena, such as reflections in water or the nature of dreams. These observations led to the conceptualization of the human being as a duo, divided into a material (hmotnou) part and a soul (duši). Initially, the soul was not conceived as being immortal; however, over time, the idea of the soul’s immortality emerged. Animism also posits that just as humans possess a soul, physical objects similarly have their own souls. Consequently, the individual is perceived as being surrounded by a "world of spirits" ("rick duckin").

Magic (Magie)

Magic (Magie) encompasses practices identified as sorcery ("kouzelnictví") and witchcraft ("čarodějnictví"). The ultimate goal of magic is ritual behavior, which serves as a method of action through which humans attempt to influence the progression of events or affect specific objects. Far from being purely theoretical, magic includes practical religious activities essential to prehistoric life, such as those related to agriculture and healing (interpreted as "lentelstvi"). In the context of healing, this involved the practical use of extracts derived from medicinal herbs, merging spiritual ritual with early medical knowledge.