Prehistoric religions and rituals
General data
Course ID: | WS-AR-PRiR |
Erasmus code / ISCED: |
08.4
|
Course title: | Prehistoric religions and rituals |
Name in Polish: | Prehistoric religions and rituals |
Organizational unit: | Institute of Archaeology |
Course groups: |
Courses at UKSW |
ECTS credit allocation (and other scores): |
(not available)
|
Language: | English |
Subject level: | elementary |
Learning outcome code/codes: | H2A_W04, H2A_W09, H2A_W11 |
Short description: |
Humanity has been as religious as long as he has been sapient. In this course we will consider the material evidence for Human religious and ritual activity since the emergence of the genus Homo up to the end of the prehistoric period. |
Full description: |
Evidence for religiously motivated activity can be traced back to the emergence of Homo Erectus 2,8 million years ago. Paleolithic Hominids including Homo Neanderthalensis can be seen to be involved in highly complex ritual and religious activity involving the interface between life and death and human society and the wild. During the establishment of agriculture and sedentary life styles Neolithic the focus of religion is closely connected with the domestic sphere and entwined with the emergence of ancestor cults. In Europe later Neolithic societies erect the first monumental religious architecture. During the Metal Ages material sacrifice and funerary customs are our main source of information about Human religious behavior. It is during the last five centuries BC that we can see the emergence of pagan pantheons in both the material and artistic records. This evidence dovetails both with historical accounts of the ancients and medieval scribe´s memories of their pagan heritage. This panorama of religious materiality will include a particular focus on figurative art which is seen as a crucial indicator of societies’ religious sensibilities. |
Bibliography: |
Barrett, Caitlín E. Archaeology of Ancient Religions. Oxford 2016 Insoll, Timothy, The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Ritual and Religion, Oxford University Cauvin Jacques; Trevor Watkins (2000). The birth of the Gods and the origins of agriculture. Cambridge University Press Press (Oxford) 2011 Gediga, Boguslaw, Śladami religii prasłowian. Wrocław 1976 Insoll, Timothy, Archaeology, Ritual, Religion. London. Routlege 2004 Mithen,Steven The Prehistory of the Mind: The Cognitive Origins of Art, Religion and Science. St. Ives 1999 |
Efekty kształcenia i opis ECTS: |
K_W04 Ma uporządkowaną pogłębioną, prowadząca do specjalizacji, wiedzę szczegółową z zakresu wybranych obszarów archeologii Europy H2A_W04 Ma pogłębioną wiedzę o powiązaniach archeologii z innymi dziedzinami nauki, pozwalającą na integrowanie perspektyw właściwych dla kilku dyscyplin naukowych K_W09 Ma pogłębioną wiedzę o kompleksowej naturze kultury oraz jej złożoności i historycznej zmienność jej znaczeń K_W11 Ma pogłębioną wiedzę na temat zjawisk społecznych zachodzących w społecznościach różnego typu, rodzajów więzi społecznej oraz relacji pomiędzy strukturami społecznymi OPIS ECTS Uczestnictwo w wykładzie: 60 godzin Lektury własne: 60 godzin Przygotowanie do egzaminu: 30 godzin Suma godzin: 150 ECTS =7 ECTS |
Assessment methods and assessment criteria: |
exam |
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