Author : James L. Pearson
Release : 2002-02-18
Genre : Religion
Kind : eBook
Book Rating : 741/5 ( reviews)
Book Synopsis Shamanism and the Ancient Mind by : James L. Pearson
Download or read book Shamanism and the Ancient Mind written by James L. Pearson. This book was released on 2002-02-18. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pearson brings a cogent, well-argued case for the understanding of much prehistoric art as shamanistic practice. Using the theoretical premises of cognitive archaeology and a careful examination of rock art worldwide, Pearson is able to dismiss other theories of why ancient peoples produced art_totemism, art-for-art's sake, structuralism, hunting magic. Then examining both ethnographic and neuropsychological evidence, he makes a strong case for the use of shamanistic ritual and hallucinogenic substances as the genesis of much prehistoric art. Bolstered with examples from contemporary cultures and archaeological sites around the world, Pearson's thesis should be of interest not only to archaeologists, but art historians, psychologists, cultural anthropologist, and the general public.