sansahansan Wrote:
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> The change from Shamanism to a religion/belief
> system is viewed as different by scienctists
> (anthro & paleosocio & archae - ologists)
Not really. A religion has a formal structure and formal hierarchy of priests with someone at the top (prophet, pope, high priest, or a group with those functions), telling them what the deity/deities say. Priests are often intercessors or intermediaries between the people and the deity.
Shamanism/animism is where individuals are "inspired/possessed by/directed by spirits (and possibly deities)" and there are tales about these deities but they are not codified into a strict hierarchy with rules and rites. Shamans take apprentices, but there can be 3-4 (or more) shamans in a tribe and all of them saying different things.
Priests act collectively and are in agreement with the main tenants of their religion. Shamans... are like herding cats. For example, the Tlingit practices are shamanism. They have formal (strict) rituals and practices that they follow, but there was no "high priest of the nation of the Tlingit" and anyone could call up spirits and seek advice from deities. Some of the Native Americans did have a true religion... The Mississippian Caddoans had organized temples and temple mounds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caddo_Indians#Archaeology )
> I am seriously considering going back to school
> for a comparative mythology degree, but I'm trying
> to decide if it's a hokum degree or something with
> actual granite roots in reality?
Might depend on the school and the professors.
-- Byrd
Moderator, Hall of Ma'at
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2010 11:07PM by Byrd.