Just finished an interesting book, "The Quest For the Shaman"

[Cleita]

by Miranda Aldhouse-Green, Professor of Archaeology, and Stephen Aldouse-Green, Professor of Human Origins both of the University of Wales.



http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Shaman-Shape-Shifters-Sorcerers-Healers/dp/0500051348

My interests cover Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, which I developed from research that I undertook for a work of fiction that I was writing. This covers, not only the mythologies of those people, but ties them into archaeological discoveries in those time frames.

The book also compares the ancient lore with present day shamanism throughout the world, especially in Pacific Islander and Native American cultures. It also has a comprehensive introduction of the practice from the Stone Ages as evidenced by artifacts and cave paintings.

It's fascinating to note how much of these remote religious practices we still use today even under the cover of our present day faiths and day to day "old wives tales". Much of the fairy lore we teach our children is from these old religions and many of our religious practices stem back from those distant days where the seasons and the animals were important to our tribes' survival. If I were a student of this, I would study the present day use of practices in our day to day lives that date from the Bronze, Iron or even Neolithic Ages. You could start with the practice of Astrology, I believe, which is still widely used.

My first knowledge of the practice was in South America. Our household employees were usually from the local indigenous people and one was known to be a bruja or witch woman. I was often warned by the other maids not to anger her because she could cast a spell on me. My mother of course told me that it was nonsense meant to make me behave. The woman though got special respect from the others and had an extensive knowledge of herbal medicines.

She was often consulted by both indigenous and non-indigenous people from our area for various ailments. Even doctors at times came to see her because at this time, right after WWII, medicine was scarce. I was told by my father that the medicos had to use what was available and that the Indians had a pretty good knowledge of what worked and didn't work. This woman had a very good cure for altitude sickness which I always got when returning from school in the states until my body adapted to the altitude. It was a tea she gave me that I discovered years later was cocaine tea. :-)

Back to the book though. These two authorities have written a plethora of books on this subject and those related to them. I have never run across them before and look forward to reading more from them.

[L. Coyote]

1. The new-age shamaniacs are missing the reality of the past

At best, this new-age shaman religion belief system does grave injustice to our human heritage, at worst, it covers up and obfuscates the reality of the past. The false assumption that science was NOT part of human prehistory underlies this perspective.

[Cleita]

2. The book doesn't deal with "new age" but archaelogy and

mythology.

[L. Coyote]

3. Archaeology is a science, and interpretation is an art, often akin to fiction writing

There is a real problem in archaeological writing, a failure to distinguish material evidence from its interpretation. All too ofter, would-be archaeologists seem like ancient mind readers.

While I have not read this book, the very topic points to an interpretive treatment of evidence.

[Cleita]

4. Then you should read the book. The authors are

explaining the shamanistic aspects of mostly iron age religions (although they make comparisons with others) in light of their mythology and archaeological evidence present to explain their mythology. I suppose if the book were about the Trojan War and the archaeological evidence that shed's light on it, would this be more appropriately scientific for you? I have read plenty of those books too about Bronze Age and Iron Age warrior culture and the approach this book takes in examining this subject takes the same approach in examining a culture whose stories were filtered through the Catholic Church at trying to get at the truth.

Hate the book and the conclusions the authors reach if you want, but at least read it first before you jump to conclusions about it being "new age". If I saw it as such I would have posted it in the Astrology Forum instead.

Other titles by these authors are:

"Dictionary of Celtic Myth And Legend"

"The World of the Druids"

"The Mind In The Cave"

"Prehistoric Wales"

"Paviland Cave and the 'Red Lady""

"Dying For the Gods: Human Sacrifice in Iron Age and Roman Europe"

"An Archaeology of Images"

I'm sure you can see where their major expertises are in their respective academic disciplines, but if they were "new agers", I'm sure there would be a lot of titles with King Arthur in them instead of the scientific and scholastic approach that they use.

[L. Coyote]

5. My point is directed generally, not at these authors.

And, I defend my view that current assumptions about past beliefs, interpreted as shamanism/religion, are more like New Age belief systems than science.