Archaeology of Spiritualities (One World Archaeology)

**__Archaeology of Spiritualties__** provides a fresh exploration of the interface between archaeology and religion/spirituality. Archaeological approaches to the study of religion have typically and often unconsciously, drawn on western paradigms, especially Judaeo-Christian (mono) theistic frameworks and academic rationalisations. Archaeologists have rarely reflected on how these approaches have framed and constrained their choices of methodologies, research questions, hypotheses, definitions, interpretations and analyses and have neglected an important dimension of religion: the human experience of the numinous - the power, presence or experience of the supernatural. Within the religions of many of the world’s peoples, sacred experiences – particularly in relation to sacred landscapes and beings connected with those landscapes – are often given greater emphasis, while doctrine and beliefs are relatively less important. Archaeology of Spiritualities asks how such experiences might be discerned in the archaeological record; how do we recognize and investigate ‘other’ forms of religious or spiritual experience in the remains of the past?. The volume opens up a space to explore critically and reflexively the encounter between archaeology and diverse cultural expressions of spirituality. It showcases experiential and experimental methodologies in this area of the discipline, an unconventional approach within the archaeology of religion. Thus **__Archaeology of Spiritualities__** offers a unique, timely and innovative contribution, one that is also challenging and stimulating. It is a great resource to archaeologists, historians, religious scholars and others interested in cultural and religious heritage.          Archaeology of Spiritualties provides a fresh exploration of the interface between archaeology and religion/spirituality. Archaeological approaches to the study of religion have typically, and often unconsciously, drawn on western paradigms, especially Judaeo-Christian (mono)theistic frameworks and academic rationalisations. Archaeologists have rarely reflected on how these approaches have framed and constrained their choices of methodologies, research questions, hypotheses, definitions, interpretations and analyses, and have neglected an important dimension of religion: the human experience of the numinous - the power, presence or experience of the supernatural.         Within the religions of many of the worldâs peoples, sacred experiences â" particularly in relation to sacred landscapes and beings connected with those landscapes â" are often given greater emphasis, while doctrine and beliefs are relatively less important. Archaeology of Spiritualities asks how such experiences might be discerned in the archaeological record; how do we recognize and investigate âotherâ forms of religious or spiritual experience in the remains of the past?          The volume opens up a space to explore critically and reflexively the encounter between archaeology and diverse cultural expressions of spirituality. It showcases experiential and experimental methodologies in this area of the discipline, an unconventional approach within the archaeology of religion. Thus Archaeology of Spiritualities offers a unique, timely and innovative contribution, one that is also challenging and stimulating. It is a great resource to archaeologists, historians, religious scholars, and others interested in cultural and religious heritage Archaeology of Spiritualties provides a fresh exploration of the interface between archaeology and religion/spirituality. Archaeological approaches to the study of religion have typically, and often unconsciously, drawn on western paradigms, especially Judaeo-Christian (mono)theistic frameworks and academic rationalisations. Archaeologists have rarely reflected on how these approaches have framed and constrained their choices of methodologies, research questions, hypotheses, definitions, interpretations and analyses, and have neglected an important dimension of religion: the human experience of the numinous - the power, presence or experience of the supernatural. Within the religions of many of the worldâs peoples, sacred experiences â" particularly in relation to sacred landscapes and beings connected with those landscapes â" are often given greater emphasis, while doctrine and beliefs are relatively less important. Archaeology of Spiritualities asks how such experiences might be discerned in the archaeological record; how do we recognize and investigate âotherâ forms of religious or spiritual experience in the remains of the past? The volume opens up a space to explore critically and reflexively the encounter between archaeology and diverse cultural expressions of spirituality. It showcases experiential and experimental methodologies in this area of the discipline, an unconventional approach within the archaeology of religion. Thus Archaeology of Spiritualities offers a unique, timely and innovative contribution, one that is also challenging and stimulating. It is a great resource to archaeologists, historians, religious scholars, and others interested in cultural and religious heritage.--Résumé de l'éditeur Archaeology of Spiritualties provides a fresh exploration of the interface between archaeology and religion/spirituality. Archaeological approaches to the study of religion have typically, and often unconsciously, drawn on western paradigms, especially Judaeo-Christian (mono)theistic frameworks and academic rationalisations. Archaeologists have rarely reflected on how these approaches have framed and constrained their choices of methodologies, research questions, hypotheses, definitions, interpretations and analyses, and have neglected an important dimension of religion: the human experience of the numinous - the power, presence or experience of the supernatural. Within the religions of many of the worlds peoples, sacred experiences - particularly in relation to sacred landscapes and beings connected with those landscapes - are often given greater emphasis, while doctrine and beliefs are relatively less important. Archaeology of Spiritualities asks how such experiences might be discerned in the archaeological record; how do we recognize and investigate 'other forms of religious or spiritual experience in the remains of the past? The volume opens up a space to explore critically and reflexively the encounter between archaeology and diverse cultural expressions of spirituality. It showcases experiential and experimental methodologies in this area of the discipline, an unconventional approach within the archaeology of religion. Thus Archaeology of Spiritualities offers a unique, timely and innovative contribution, one that is also challenging and stimulating. It is a great resource for archaeologists, historians, religious scholars, and others interested in cultural and religious heritage Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Front Matter....Pages 1-1 The Spirituality of Prehistoric Societies: A View from the Irish Megaliths....Pages 3-23 Fragmentary Ancestors? Medicine, Bodies, and Personhood in a Koma Mound, Northern Ghana....Pages 25-45 Negotiating Archaeology/Spirituality: Pagan Engagements with the Prehistoric Past in Britain....Pages 47-68 Front Matter....Pages 69-69 Spirituality and the Material World in Post-Medieval Europe....Pages 71-85 Breath and Being: Contextualizing Object Persons at Paquimé, Chihuahua, Mexico....Pages 87-106 In Search of Cosmic Power: Contextualizing Spiritual Journeys between Cahokia and the St. Francois Mountains....Pages 107-129 Front Matter....Pages 131-131 Accessing Past Cosmologies through Material Culture and the Landscape in the Philippines....Pages 133-161 From Holy Hiis to Sacred Stone: Diverse and Dynamic Meanings of Estonian Holy Sites....Pages 163-183 Magical Signs in Prehistory: Near Eastern Celestial Symbols in the Ancient Carpathian Basin....Pages 185-203 Front Matter....Pages 205-205 “Nature”, the Minoans and Embodied Spiritualities....Pages 207-225 Dynamic Spirituality on Minoan Peak Sanctuaries....Pages 227-245 Dusk at the Palace: Exploring Minoan Spiritualities....Pages 247-266 Back Matter....Pages 267-277