Chapter 11
MCQ's
Weblinks
This section will include articles and links on the functions of religion in the past.
11.1 What kinds of religion were there?
- Religions can encompass belief in spirits as well as belief in gods. This section includes some examples not covered in later sections.
- The Zapotecs http://www.angelfire.com/ca/humanorigins/religion.html
- Mesoamerican links http://www.angelfire.com/ca/humanorigins/religion.html
- Ancient Mexico http://www.ancientmexico.com/
- Discussion of the idea of a universal Goddess is at: http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~gloria/Goddess.html
11.2 Ritual activity
- A simulation of a Mithras Temple at:
- http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/archive/mithras/intro.htm
11.3 Identifying ritual sites and the rituals which took place there
- Presentations of ritual sites or their excavation can be seen at:
- Luxor http://academic.memphis.edu/egypt/luxortm.html
- Cretan goddess http://witcombe.sbc.edu/snakegoddess/fertility.html
- Minehowe (Orkney) http://www.oat.org.uk/
11.4 Ritual specialists
- Ritual specialists range from shamans to priests.
- Shamans http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/dept/d10/asb/anthro2003/glues/shamans
11.5 Religion and ritual in prehistoric Europe
This is the most popular option in the current AS Level paper on religion and ritual. A wealth of sites is available, particularly helpful for research and presentations.
- Key examples of Ice Age art can be seen at:
- Lascaux http://www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/fr/
- Chauvet http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/chauvet/en/index.html
- Links for particular sites include:
- http://donsmaps.com/lepenski2.html
- This site is an introduction to life in Mesolithic Britain including shamanistic beliefs. It also contains a test to see if you would have survived as a hunter-gatherer:
- http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/flint/menu.html
- Excellent directories of sites with pictures (ideal if you are planning visits) are at:
- The Megalithic Portal http://www.megalithic.co.uk/
- Stone pages http://www.stonepages.com/
- Examples of individual sites are:
- Clava cairns http://www.megalithics.com/scotland/clavas/clavmain.htm
- Ballynahatty (Northern Ireland) http://www.qub.ac.uk/arcpal/ballynahatty.htm
- Hindwell (Wales) http://www.jungsteinsite.de/2000_gibson/hindwell.htm
- Flag Fen http://www.flagfen.com/
- Isibister http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/isbister/
- Loughcrew http://www.carrowkeel.com/sites/loughcrew/loughcrew.html
- Avebury http://www.le.ac.uk/archaeology/research/projects/avebury/index.html
- Landscape ritual and belief
- The following present ritual sites in their landscapes:
- Maes Howe (Orkney) http://www.iol.ie/~geniet/maeshowe/
- Kilmartin Glen (Scotland) http://www.kilmartin.org/
- http://csweb.bournemouth.ac.uk/
- Northumberland rock art http://rockart.ncl.ac.uk/
- Stonehenge Riverside Project http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/research/stonehenge
- Bronze Age (including video) http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/dept/d10/asb/anthro2003/archy/process/index.html
- The Irish ritual sites mentioned in the text are at:
- http://www.sacredsites.com/europe/ireland/carrowkeel.htmlthicireland.com/
- http://www.megalithicireland.com/Body.htm
- http://www.carrowkeel.com/files/main.html
- http://www.irishmegaliths.org.uk/genius.htmw
- European rock art http://www.rane-online.org/
- Dunragit http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/subjectareas/archaeology/research/dunragit/
11.6 Religious specialists and rituals in later British prehistory
- Birdlip Grave Group http://www.glos-city.gov.uk/libraries/templates/page.asp?FolderID=217
- Upton Lovell ‘Shaman’ http://www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk/galleries/index.php
11.7 Roman religion and ritual
This is the second most popular option in the current AS Level.
- Roman religion in general is at:
- http://www.unrv.com/culture/roman-religion.php
- A course on Roman architecture and building techniques is at:
- http://classics.furman.edu/~rprior/courses/RA/RAU5.html
- Romano-Celtic deities http://www.unc.edu/celtic/catalogue/triplism/ - genii
- Links for particular sites include:
- Temple of Vesta http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/172_Temple_of_Vesta.html
- A virtual tour of the Forum in Rome is at:
- http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma
- An essay on Mithraism is at:
- http://eawc.evansville.edu/essays/mithraism.htm
- Corinium and Roman religion including the paternoster square are at:
- http://www.roman-britain.org/places/corinium.htm - rib101
- Build your own Roman temple at:
- http://www.hirstarts.com/temple/temple.html
11.8 Ancient Egyptian religion and ritual
- There are many good general sites such as:
- http://academic.memphis.edu/egypt/
- http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/Welcome.html
- http://www.ancient-egypt.co.uk/index.htm
- http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/index.html
- http://www.civilization.ca/civil/egypt/egypte.html - menu
- Temples are covered at:
- http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/art/temple.html
- A glossary of temple architecture is at:
- http://www.egyptologyonline.com/temple_glossary.htm
- Links for particular sites include:
- Medinet Habu http://www.ancient-egypt.co.uk/medinet habu/index.htm
- Karnak http://www.ancient-egypt.co.uk/karnak/index.htm
- Luxor http://www.ancient-egypt.co.uk/luxor/index.htm
- Giza http://www.ancient-egypt.co.uk/Giza/index.htm
- For images and basic detail there are many tour company websites available including:
- http://www.egyptmyway.com/index.html
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