Ancient Shamanism Research Articles

Роговые навершия в виде фантастических зверей в мезолите Волго-Окского междуречья

Three antler staff heads in the shape of fantastic beasts are known in the Mesolithic of Eastern Europe. A sharp nose resembling a point of a pick-axe, an effective weapon known in the Mesolithic of the Volga-Oka interfluve, is their main feature. The article presents a description and new interpretation of these objects as heads of ritual weapons combining a real weapon (pick-axe) with superficial forces personified in the images of fantastic beasts. These artefacts find no direct analogies. Pick-axe heads are known in the late Mesolithic of Western Scandinavia where they are interpreted as ritual weapons connected with superficial forces. An antler staff head from the Shigir peat bog in the Tans-Urals is shaped as a fantastic beast with bare teeth. Its nose is flat and not pointed. Shaman’s staffs which are considered the most ancient shaman’s attributes can be used as ethnographic parallels to the described artefacts. Staffs endowed with superficial force were used during shaman’s travels between different worlds. The described staff heads in the shape of fantastic beasts are likely to have belonged to outstanding shamans or chiefs-shamans who used them in similar rituals.

Similarity in Superstitions in Anatolian and Chinese Cultures

This article aims at exploring similarity between Anatolian and Chinese prevalent superstitions, the reasons behind them and contributing to literature concerning superstitions. In this comparative study, marriage, birth, and death superstitions and their impacts on people’s life have been investigated individually in Anatolian and Chinese cultures. As a result, the study concluded that superstitions have been a tradition, which is transferred from one generation to another. In both Anatolia and China, superstitions are mostly towards expelling evil spirits, avoiding bad things, and bringing good luck. In China, the most widespread superstitions are related to homophonic numbers whereas in Anatolia, wearing an evil eye talisman against evil eye is the most popular one. However, visiting a fortuneteller is very common superstition in both cultures and the most similar superstitions appear on birth customs. Results indicated that many superstitions originated from Shamanism, which is pre Islamic Asian origin Turkic religion. It is assumed that innumerable Anatolian and Chinese superstitions come from same ancient Shamanism and have survived until nowadays.

Türk Halk Oyunlarında Kartal Figürü

It is known that there are a number of folk dances carrying the name of Eagle and Eagle figures in them in Turkey now. There was a belief that, in Shaman tradition in Turkish populations living in old ages and the Eagle was the envoy and repsentative of the God, and that shaman came from the family of Eagle. Depending on this, it was believed that Eagle was the closest animal the God and that it was the most powerful animal in the Sky, so it was qualified as a predator bird and as a symbol of Raider Turkish Tribes. In ancient Shaman tradition, depending on a number of narrations and beliefs as to eagle, the imagination of Eagle indicated itself both in folk dances and in architecture or fine arts in Turkish Culture World. According to the belief occuring in the result of these ideas about the eagle, Shamans imitated eagle in the folk dances performed in the ceremonies in order to be able to make use of its significant features or power, on its holiness or other superior qualities. Those old dances of Shamans have still been living in a number of folk dances such as Zeybek, Bar, and Halay in Turkey.

양주전세문헌소견지의료무술고찰(兩周傳世文獻所見之醫療巫術考察)

Objective : The main idea of this article is to investigate the shamanistic medical activities through the traditional Chinese classics in the Zhou Dynasty. The ancient shaman played a bridge role between human beings and supernatural things like ghosts. Even though he didn't have the super power, the ancients believed that he could take care of all kinds of illness. Therefore, it can be said that the medicine of the Zhou Dynasty was still under the shamanism although it had already started to be specialized and professionalized. Method : This article is going to look into the detailed aspects of the shamanistic medical activities, for example, divination of illness, Zhuyou(祝由), shamanistic preventive medicine, and so on, through the traditional Chinese classics of Zhou Dynasty. Result : The medical knowledge of that time stayed in the early stage, so it was simple and raw. Also it had scientific and unscientific characters in itself at the same time. That's why it could be included in the shamanism. And about the shamanistic medical activities seen on underground written attestations, they will be offered through another article of mine, entitled A Research of Shamanistic Medical Activities on Underground Written Attestations in the Zhou Dynasty(兩周出土文獻所見之醫療巫術考察), which is being written now. Conclusion : From beginning of the Eastern Zhou period, the medicine gradually got to be specialized. And then specialized medical treatments and shamanistic medical activities began to be divided as the different two occupations. However, it is an unchangeable truth that the ancient shaman played an important role in the Chinese traditional medicine. Therefore, it can be said that he was in the very special position in the Chinese traditional medicine.

양주시기중국의학적전업화소고(兩周時期中國醫學的專業化小考)

Objective : The main idea of this article is to investigate the specialization of Chinese traditional medicine. The ancient shaman played a bridge role between human beings and supernatural things like ghosts. Even though he didn't have the super power, the ancients believed that he could take care of all kinds of illness. Therefore, it can be said that the medicine of Zhou Dynasty was still under the shamanism although it had already started to be specialized and professionalized. And it was the important role of the ancient shaman of that period that gave patients the shamanistic treatment on the ground of the specialized medical knowledge, which was commonly activated during that time. Method : This article is going to look into the detailed aspects of the specialization of Chinese traditional medicine through the some kinds of written attestations of Zhou Dynasty. Result : The medical knowledge of that time stayed in the early stage, so it was simple and raw. Also it had scientific and unscientific characters in itself at the same time. That's why it could be included in the shamanism; the details can be offered through another article of mine entitled A Research of Shamanistic Medical Activities on Written Attestations in the Zhou Dynasty(兩周時期的醫療巫術), which is being written now. Conclusion : From beginning of the Eastern Zhou period, the medicine gradually got to be specialized. And then the specialized medical treatment and shamanistic medical activities began to be divided as the different two occupations. Searching for various written attestations of that period, we can see lots of records about the specialized medicine treatment such as acupuncture and moxibustion and the medical substances.

Heaven(‘Chon’) Concept of Choi Je-Wo - It's Connection with the Korean Ancient Shamanism -

Heaven(‘Chon’) Concept of Choi Je-Wo - It's Connection with the Korean Ancient Shamanism -

The Physician as a Marriage Counselor

The physician is living in the currents of two crossing streams in the history of the society. Historically, he is the direct descendent of the ancient shaman, the healer who held within his hands such magical forces of the universe as might be applied to the endless problems and sufferings of his people. With time, he slowly added knowledge to his superstitions, then science, then technology, and he has emerged in our time as the most highly educated individual of the civilization. He has sustained his position as family adviser, particularly in the areas of general practice and intemal medicine, and to a limited (better a small) degree in pediatrics.