The Quest for the Shaman: Shape-Shifters, Sorcerers and Spirit-Healers of Ancient Europe.THE QUEST FOR Verb 1. quest for - go in search of or hunt for; "pursue a hobby" quest after, go after, pursue look for, search, seek - try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of; "The police are searching for clues"; "They are searching for the THE SHAMAN shaman (shä`mən, shā`–, shă`–), religious practitioner in various, generally small-scale societies who is believed to be able to diagnose, cure, and sometimes cause illness because of a special relationship with, or : Shape-Shifters, Sorcerers and Spirit-Healers of Ancient Europe MIRANDA ALDHOUSE-GREEN AND STEPHEN ALDHOUSE-GREEN The quest invoked in this book's title is the authors' search for proof of shamanism shamanism /sha·man·ism/ (shah´-) (sha´mah-nizm?) a traditional system, occurring in tribal societies, in which certain individuals (shamans) are believed to be gifted with access to an invisible spiritual in the period between the early Stone Age and the early post-Roman era. Though their focus is Europe, both archaeologists touch on ancient spirituality in Africa, Australasia, and the Americas. They spend an entire chapter defining shamanism in terms of ritual, trances, people assuming animal forms, magical symbolism, and more. Important proof of such beliefs lies in cave paintings Cave or Rock Paintings are paintings on cave or rock walls and ceilings, usually dating to prehistoric times. The earliest known rock paintings are dated to the Upper Paleolithic, 40,000 years ago, while the earliest European cave paintings date to 32,000 years ago. , talismans, Venus figurines Venus figurines is an umbrella term for a number of prehistoric items in statuette form, of women (whether obese or pregnant is disputed) from the Aurignacian or Gravettian period of the upper Palaeolithic, found from Spain to Siberia. , and more-elaborate art. For example, the authors describe a 30,000-year-old human-lion ivory figurine that they say may represent a monster seen by a shaman imagining the spirit world. They conclude that shamanism was endemic in ancient European peoples long before there were organized religions. The authors' expertise covers the time frame that they have chosen. Stephen Aldhouse-Green's focus is the earliest prehistory prehistory, period of human evolution before writing was invented and records kept. The term was coined by Daniel Wilson in 1851. It is followed by protohistory, the period for which we have some records but must still rely largely on archaeological evidence to of humans, while Miranda Aldhouse-Green has published extensive work on later prehistory and ritual behavior. The authors' enthusiasm leavens the sometimes-heavy academic writing, as do illustrations and photos of ritual practices and objects as well as discussions of altered consciousness and the cross-dressing priests of the Roman Empire. Thames and Hudson, 2005, 240 p., color and b&w illustrations and photos, hardcover, $34.95. |
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