Shamanism

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Shamanism is an umbrella term which is most commonly used to denote religions in which a person (i.e., a shaman) acts as an intermediary between the physical and supernatural realm. The word "shaman" itself originated with the Evenks of Siberia. Due to this fact, some anthropologists argue that the idea of shamanism is artificially constructed and its application outside of the Siberian context is misleading.[1] Nevertheless, anthropologists have attempted to define some of the characteristics of shamanism. These common features may include:

Depending on how one defines it, shamanism has likely existed since the Paleolithic period. Cave paintings and other markings provide evidence that shamans may have used these locations to enter altered states of consciousness and perform rituals. As hunter-gatherer societies became more complex during the Upper Paleolithic, this may have enabled the creation of roles for part-time religious specialists such as shamans.[2]

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[edit] Footnotes

  1. Alice Beck Kehoe. (2000) Shamans and Religion: An Anthropological Exploration in Critical Thinking. London: Waveland Press.
  2. J. David Lewis-Williams. (2002) The Mind in the Cave: Consciousness and the Origins of Art. London: Thames and Hudson.
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