Tenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

From the study of the Neolithic Tripilian-Cucuteni civilization, as well as other Eurasian cultures from the Paleolithic to the present, a number of distinct, recurrent symbols emerge. Similar symbolism is present in Native American civilizations in North, Central, and South America. From these motifs and their iconographic arrangements, as well as from myths and rituals, the world view of these civilizations can be deduced. Although in Europe this cosmic vision is largely forgotten, the iconography is still present in folk art, garments, and everyday objects of many traditional cultures, especially in Eastern and Central Europe, the Near East, and Central and Eastern Asia. Many of the beliefs, myths, and rituals are still alive in Siberia, Mongolia and China. In the case of live Native American cultures, such as the Mesoamerican Maya and the North American Huichol and Navajo, similar symbolism can be observed in iconography, myth, and ritual. I analyze the elements that constitute the world view of these civilizations and cultures, based on the reconstruction of ancient as well as contemporary materials. From the analysis of iconography on rupestrian art, Neolithic ceramics, contemporary weavings, headdresses, Easter eggs, paper cutouts, Siberian shamans’ costumes, contemporary shamanistic practices, dances, and rituals, as well as myths transformed into legends and fairy tales, a conviction emerges that the first known deities adored by humans in these parts of the world were female cervid figures, such as the elk, reindeer, and deer, in addition to the bear and aquatic birds.