The rites of spring : a cognitive analysis of ritual activity in the agricultural transition in south-west Asia and north-western Europe
What cognitive and cultural mechanisms facilitated the agricultural transition? In this thesis, I evaluated the hypothesis that ritual action involving large groups of people meeting regularly created a significant sense of collective purpose to bring about the social cohesion necessary for agriculture. I test this hypothesis against the archaeological record in two distinct regions: south west Asia and north-western Europe. Following Whitehouse's (2000) Modes of Religiosity theory, I show that the agricultural transition in both regions is connected with a shift from an imagistic to an increasingly doctrinal mode of religious behaviour. This result is important because it brings together insights from the prehistoric archaeology and cognitive anthropology to generate new knowledge about the agricultural transition.
Gantley, Michael John
Anthropology ; Spring--Religious aspects ; Neolithic period--Asia ; Neolithic period--Europe ; Northern ; Religion ; Prehistoric ; Ritual
The rites of spring : a cognitive analysis of ritual activity in the agricultural transition in south-west Asia and north-western Europe. What cognitive and cultural mechanisms facilitated the agricultural transition? In this thesis, I evaluated the hypothesis that ritual action involving large groups of people meeting regularly created a significant sense of collective purpose to bring about the social cohesion necessary for agriculture. I test this hypothesis against the archaeological record in two distinct regions: south west Asia and north-western Europe. Following Whitehouse's (2000) Modes of Religiosity theory, I show that the agricultural transition in both regions is connected with a shift from an imagistic to an increasingly doctrinal mode of religious behaviour. This result is important because it brings together insights from the prehistoric archaeology and cognitive anthropology to generate new knowledge about the agricultural transition.
rite spring cognitive analysis ritual_activity agricultural transition south_west asia north_western europe cognitive cultural mechanism facilitate agricultural transition evaluate_hypothesis ritual_action involve_large group_people meet regularly create significant sense collective purpose bring social_cohesion necessary agriculture test_hypothesis archaeological_record two_distinct region_south west asia north_western europe following modes religiosity theory show agricultural transition region connect shift increasingly doctrinal mode religious behaviour important bring_together insight prehistoric_archaeology cognitive anthropology generate new knowledge agricultural transition