Ritual Activities Research Articles

How Did Rituals Change with the Changing Ritual Places During the Second Millennium BC in Southwest England?

This study explores the transformation of ritual spaces in southwest England during the second millennium BC, focusing on the transition from monumental structures to residential settlements. Initially, ritual activities predominantly occurred within barrows and ring-cairns. By the Middle Bronze Age, however, these activities shifted towards houses and settlements, reflecting broader changes in architectural practices and social dynamics. This research examines the implications of these shifts through archaeological findings and literature review, highlighting how rituals became integrated into daily domestic spaces and the continuity of ritual practices through the reconfiguration of abandoned settlements into monument-like structures. The findings suggest that the evolution of ritual spaces was closely tied to the socio-spiritual landscape of the community, revealing significant insights into the cultural and social dynamics of prehistoric Europe.

Creating Agoras in Buenos Aires: Time, Ritual, and Sociability Among a Spanish Ethnic Group

The aim of this article is to provide an ethnographic investigation on how community consciousness is forged through daily rituals of encounter and sociability among the Calós of Buenos Aires. The research method used was ethnography based on participant observation. The daily encounters and the intensive frequency of repetition are posed as ritual actions that create agoras in public and semi-public spaces of the neighbourhood. The logic of socialisation expresses the very life of the Calós and their capacity to transform spaces into places. Social rituals and the use of time and tempo are tentatively addressed, as well as the relevance of gift exchange and reciprocity.

Late pleistocene exploitation of Ephedra in a funerary context in Morocco

The active compounds found in many plants have been widely used in traditional medicine and ritual activities. However, archaeological evidence for the use of such plants, especially in the Palaeolithic period, is limited due to the poor preservation and fragility of seed, fruit, and other botanical macro-remains. In this study, we investigate the presence and possible uses of Ephedra during the Late Pleistocene based on the analysis of exceptionally preserved plant macrofossils recovered from c. 15 ka year-old archaeological deposits at Grotte des Pigeons in northeastern Morocco. This cave has yielded the earliest carbonized plant macrofossils of Ephedra, which were found concentrated in a human burial deposit along with other special finds. Ephedra is a plant known to produce high amounts of alkaloids, primarily ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, which have been utilized in traditional medicine. Direct radiocarbon dates on both Ephedra and the human remains indicate that they were contemporaneous. To understand the uses of Ephedra by people at the site, we discuss the different pathways through which plant remains could have arrived. We suggest that the charred cone bracts of Ephedra likely represent residues of the processing and consumption of the plant’s fleshy cones, which may have been valued for both their nutritional and therapeutic properties. Furthermore, we interpret the presence of Ephedra and its deposition in the burial area as evidence that this plant played a significant role during the funerary activities.

몽골 카라코룸의 네스토리우스파 기독교유적 연구

This paper examines the possibility that a complex architectural site, excavated by the Mongol-German joint research team from 2006 to 2009, located in the northern outskirts of Karakorum, may have been a Nestorian Christian church. The rectangular complex, surrounded by earthen-walls, can be divided into two phases based on the building's layout and overlapping architectural features. The initial structure within the complex had a unique configuration, with a large room at the front directly connected to a smaller room at the back, situated centrally within the walled area. Unlike traditional Mongolian architecture, which typically faces south, this building faced east, and it is notable for having an altar in the smaller rear room. Artifacts found at the site include fragments of a cross, characteristic of Nestorian Christianity, and bronze artifacts resembling candlesticks popular in medieval Europe. These findings strongly suggest that the site was a Nestorian Christian church during the Mongol Empire. The site's location in the northern outskirts of Karakorum aligns with the description of a Nestorian Christian church in William of Rubruck’s book. Additionally, the basic rectangular layout with a niche(apse) at the end containing an altar, as found in Central Asian Nestorian churches, further supports this identification. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the church was constructed in the early 13th century. The excavation revealed that the church was destroyed by fire. However, after the church's destruction, three tiled buildings with a different layout were immediately erected on the site. The structure and artifacts suggest that these buildings were likely a Buddhist temple. Additionally, a significant number of cattle horns were found inside the side buildings, suggesting that specific ritual activities took place at this location.

Community Mobilisation for Human Sample Collection in Sensitive Communities: Experiences from Granular Mapping of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Ekiti State, South West, Nigeria

Community mobilisation is a vital process for raising awareness and increasing participation in healthcare interventions, research, and programmes that require human sample collection and mass management. In this report, we present the community mobilisation approach undertaken for the implementation of the operational mapping and assessment of granular schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The mobilisation was conducted in 177 communities/wards of the 16 local government areas. A total of 15,340 urine and stool samples were collected in 34 days. The efficacy and success of the strategy were evaluated through the following three performance metrics: community compliance rate, the participant response rate at the community level, and the overall compliance response rate of the four most sensitive LGAs. Community compliance was 93.7% as sample collection was denied in nine communities and two other communities demanded the return of the collected samples despite our mobilisation effort because of cultural bias and myths that connect the collection of stool and urine samples to ritual activities in the local context. The participant response rate at the community level was 86.7%. Three of the four sensitive LGAs (based on previous assessment programmes) demonstrated satisfactory compliance rates of 100%, while a response rate of 64.0% was computed for one of the LGAs. We believe our approach contributed to effective community mobilisation and awareness and that the developed model has the potential to improve participation rates in large healthcare assessments and intervention programmes.

Поминальная традиция южных коми

The paper, based on materials collected during field research in the Luza region of the Komi Republic, considers local features of the memorial rituals of the Letka Komi. The memorial cycle includes individual commemorations on the third, ninth, twentieth, fortieth days, half a year and anniversary, name day, the birthday of the deceased, and the day of death. Modern tradition also includes visits to the cemetery by family members of the deceased the next day and on the first Saturday after the burial. Special calendar memorial days include Maslenitsa (meat-free) Saturday Maslenich Suböt, Radonitsa Radulnich, Trinity Saturday Ströcha Suböt, Pokrovskaya Pökröv Suböt, and Dmitrievskaya Mithrey Suböt, parental Saturdays; the day of remembrance of the dead soldiers on May 9. The memorial rituals of the Letka Komi, despite the simplification of a number of ritual actions and the change in the composition of the participants in the memorial services, include such specific features as the custom of kylzysöm ‘listening’, commemoration of ancestors under a growing tree, covering a gravestone with a towel kodrasyan chyshköd ‘memorial towel’ during a memorial meal; ideas about special periods of time kyk suböt kost ‘between two memorial Saturdays’, between Radunitsa and Trinity Saturday, Pokrovskaya and Dmitrievskaya Saturdays, and the associated complex of household and ritual prohibitions.

Cherchez la femme: Ancient Israelite Women’s Religion in Light of their Personal Names

In order to add new insights to recent research on women’s religion in ancient Israel, we investigated women’s names that appear in two categories of evidence: names on excavated Iron Age II epigraphic artifacts and names mentioned in First Temple narratives in the Bible. The two groups of names were quantitatively analyzed according to their theophoric content, chronology, and political affiliation. We found only five women’s names on the epigraphic artifacts, all on seals or seal impressions from Jerusalem, reflecting the limited participation of women in the official public sphere. The 40 names of women mentioned in the Bible reveal that while most women’s names do not have a specific form to distinguish them from men’s names, as a group they are different: non-theophoric or non-hypocoristic-theophoric names dominate women’s names, while theophoric, mainly Yahwistic names dominate men’s names. In addition, the prevalence of non-theophoric or non-hypocoristic-theophoric women’s names increases throughout the First Temple period, while among men, the frequency of such names decreases, and the frequency of theophoric, Yahwistic names increases. These results may be interpreted as indicating that while men mostly participated in the cult of the Israelite national god, YHWH, women performed ritual activities related mainly to gods other than YHWH.

장소만들기 관점에서 본 김해 구산동 묘역지석묘의 공간구현 전략

The dolmen with surrounding stone platform of Gusan-dong, Gimhae, was a megalithic monument built to realize political purposes. This was the creation of a new landscape and the result of creating a kind of place with added social function and symbolic mean-ing. In making such a place, spatial implementation strategies that considered the physical environment of the time, the activities of local residents, and symbolic aspects were used. First, a strategy was used to form a central image by dramatically highlighting the characteristics of the construction space of the dolmen. The dolmen with surrounding stone platform in Gusan-dong was in a path that controlled movement throughout the Gimhae Basin, and occupied a node that could exert influence and play a role as a central point of the region. In addition, it had a spatial status that connected the physical and psychological boundaries divided by the Haebancheon River and wetlands, and integrated the location and foreign culture. Above all, the dolmen was a landmark representing visibility and sym-bolism, forming the central image of the local community and acting as a place with a spe-cial meaning. The second place-making strategy was the creation of space sequences and activity spaces that induced the repetitive experiences of the dolmen. The dolmen was built at the intersection of the axis of the Gimhae Basin, which formed a circular structure that induced a dynamic physical experience. In addition, the platform of the dolmen formed a segment through changes in the shape, height difference, and material of the structure and had the effect of inducing a strong visual experience. The visibility of the dolmen also induced con-tinuous visual experiences to local residents moving along the axis. On the other hand, it is highly likely that the platform was used as a space for repetitive ritual activities, and this seems to have influenced the formation of the placeness of the dolmen. The third strategy was the realization of a symbolic place that implies historicality. At that time, the Gimhae Basin was creating a politically meaningful place by adopting the dolmens with surrounding stone platforms as seen at 294 Daeseong-dong. It was the Gu-san-dong dolmen that expanded and reproduced these traditional tombs. This was a politi-cal act emphasizing the symbolism of the dolmen through the spatial expansion and visual-ization of the traditional order, and the symbolic landscape at the local level was converted to the regional level of the Gimhae Basin.

PERSPEKTIF PANDANGAN IMAN KRISTIANI TERHADAP FILSAFAT OKULTISME: HERMITISISME DAN KABBALAH

Kabbalah and Hermitism are often unwittingly adopted into the practice of Christian theology due to the clergy's ignorance of this occult philosophical knowledge. The practice of occult philosophy sometimes unconsciously enters into the social practice of Christian society, especially those that are thick with local culture. The concept of cultural inculturation is a legitimization that is often used as an excuse to announce the practice. The purpose of this writing is to provide theological thinking insights into the philosophical practices of the Kabbalah occult and Hermitism so that the church returns to the true teachings and is based on the principles of the Christian faith. This research method uses a qualitative method based on literature research, observation of social conditions, community culture, and history. The results of the study show that the practices of Philosophy, Kabbalah Occultism and Hermitism inadvertently inculturate the socio-pastoral conditions of the Christian faith, which also has an impact on legalized religious ritual actions.

Domestic, artisanal, and ritual activities in a classic Maya city: Functional analysis of flint drills from the Cancuén site (AD 650–800, Guatemala)

The difficulty in determining the domestic and craft activities that took place in Maya cities during the Classic period (250–950 CE) has resulted in much debate on the nature and functioning of Mesoamerican cities. These activities are rarely identified because of the systematic cleaning of the occupied spaces that occurred and the unfavourable conditions for the preservation of perishable objects. To characterize the activities that took place in the areas uncovered, we carried out a functional analysis of the lithic tools most frequently found during excavations. Our study focused on the site of Cancuén (Guatemala), which because of its short chronology, is an ideal case for determining the spatial distribution of the activities that took place there. Our analysis focused on one type of tool: flint drills, rare in the Maya region but abundant within the city of Cancuén. The tools selected for the functional analysis come from several contexts–domestic, public, ritual (burial) as well as places of artisanal production – in order to determine the difference in status of these objects according to their contexts of use. The results of the functional analysis show that drills were used for a wide variety of tasks. While this type of tool was used as needed for various materials, including wood and pottery, it was sometimes used for very specialized activities, such as the working of teeth. The analysis of tools from ritual contexts suggests that their presence could have added value to the offering. This analysis enables us to provide the first elements of understanding of the organization of artisanal, domestic, and ritual activities in the city of Cancuén.

AI-accelerated Nazca survey nearly doubles the number of known figurative geoglyphs and sheds light on their purpose

It took nearly a century to discover a total of 430 figurative Nazca geoglyphs, which offer significant insights into the ancient cultures at the Nazca Pampa. Here, we report the deployment of an AI system to the entire Nazca region, a UNESCO World Heritage site, leading to the discovery of 303 new figurative geoglyphs within only 6 mo of field survey, nearly doubling the number of known figurative geoglyphs. Even with limited training examples, the developed AI approach is demonstrated to be effective in detecting the smaller relief-type geoglyphs, which unlike the giant line-type geoglyphs are very difficult to discern. The improved account of figurative geoglyphs enables us to analyze their motifs and distribution across the Nazca Pampa. We find that relief-type geoglyphs depict mainly human motifs or motifs of things modified by humans, such as domesticated animals and decapitated heads (81.6%). They are typically located within viewing distance (on average 43 m) of ancient trails that crisscross the Nazca Pampa and were most likely built and viewed at the individual or small-group level. On the other hand, the giant line-type figurative geoglyphs mainly depict wild animals (64%). They are found an average of 34 m from the elaborate linear/trapezoidal network of geoglyphs, which suggests that they were probably built and used on a community level for ritual activities.

Secrets Buried in the Pits: Ritual Activities in Western Anatolia in the First Half of the Second Millennium bce

Western Anatolian ritual pits provide valuable insights into socio-cultural, economic and symbolic practices during the Early to Middle Bronze Age. Findings in feasting pits, such as carbonized seeds and animal bones, indicate a strong link between ritual and food. Standing stones, altars and carefully arranged artefacts suggest a symbolic and sacred dimension beyond mere ceremonies. The pits from this period contain carbonized seeds and fragments of wood, indicating the presence of small fires during certain rituals. Changing features in ritual pits from the Early to Middle Bronze Age reveal a dynamic relationship between spatial arrangements and religious practices. The study shows that in the first half of the second millennium bce several ritual activities known from different regions reached western Anatolia for the first time. Interregional trade involved not only goods, but also the dissemination of rituals over a wide geographical area. This cultural interaction reveals western Anatolia as a dynamic and influential centre in this historical period. By exploring the ritual practices of second-millennium bce western Anatolia, this paper presents new perspectives on the rituals of the region.

Christian and Indigenous: Multiple “Religions” in Contemporary Toraja Funerals

The theoretical framework of “religion” is problematic, especially in studying non-Western realities. In the field, I often encountered its Indonesian and Toraja most common equivalents—agama and aluk. There were also categories assigned to the realm of “culture” rather than “religion”. Toraja funeral ceremonies, which originated from the indigenous religion and became predominantly Christianized, are defined in religious and/or cultural categories. How do these related categories manifest in the utterances of the ritual actors of Toraja funerals? This article is based primarily on interviews; it refers to statements from 34 purposively chosen research participants. The attitudes towards the Toraja funeral tradition vary based on religious affiliation. The lines between different perspectives and categorization characteristics of Christianities and the minority indigenous religion are blurred but distinguishable.

Living in a coast–grassland ecotone: Zooarchaeology of a late Holocene shell midden in the Uruguayan Atlantic Coast

La Esmeralda is a group of Donax hanleyanus shell middens (A, B, and C) located on the Uruguayan Atlantic coast dating to the late Holocene. This paper analyzes the vertebrate remains recovered during the excavation of shell midden A. The remains were taxonomically and anatomically identified, and quantified using NISP (number of identified specimens), MNI (minimum number of individuals), MNE (minimum number of elements), and MAU (minimum animal units). Additionally, bone surfaces were examined to identify anthropogenic and natural modifications. Several vertebrate species, including marine (pinnipeds, birds, fish) and terrestrial (deer, armadillos), were captured, processed, and consumed at the site. La Esmeralda can be chronologically linked to other coastal and inland sites located near the coast, which together reflect diverse forms of landscape occupation and various economic, domestic, and ritual activities. Collectively, these settlements show a sustained use of the Atlantic coast–grassland ecotone during the late Holocene, possibly within a coastal–inland mobility circuit. The significance of coastal and continental resources in this region has been discussed for over two decades. Although isotopic studies of human remains suggests that marine resources did not play a significant role in the diet, the material record shows the simultaneous exploitation of both types of resources. This work provides new information to continue enriching this discussion.

КЫРГЫЗСТАНДАГЫ ДИНИЙ УЮМДАРДЫН САЯСИЙ УКУКТУК АБАЛЫ

The Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic guarantees everyone freedom of conscience and religion, prohibits the establishment of any religion as State or compulsory, ensures the separation of religion and all rituals from the State, prohibits the interference of religious associations and clergy in the activities of State bodies. During the years of independence, restrictions on ritual, social, industrial, economic and other activities of religious associations were lifted in the Kyrgyz Republic, and liberal state policy in the religious sphere stimulated the growth of the number of associations and facilities. People living in Kyrgyzstan have an ideological vacuum, which, due to the lack of an effective mechanism for civil identity, leads to the uncontrolled spread of other identities, including religious ones. Radical and extremist organizations that conduct underground activities and are able to take advantage of this problem have a negative impact on the religious situation. In this article, the author analyzes the ongoing research on the state policy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the religious sphere, including the political and legal situation of religious organizations in Kyrgyzstan, gives appropriate recommendations to state and local governments and public institutions to solve emerging problems and problems in this direction.

Indang dance: An innovation of baindang traditional art in Padang Pariaman

Indang Dance is one of the innovative dances in Padang Pariaman, originating from the traditional art of Baindang. Despite its cultural significance, little research has been conducted on this dance. This article aimed to determine (i) the form of Indang Dance in Padang Pariaman, and (ii) the audience’s responses to the performance of Indang Dance in Padang Pariaman. The study was conducted using a qualitative method, incorporating both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected through observations and interviews, while the secondary data were gathered from literature reviews on Minangkabau performing arts. The data were analyzed using aesthetic theory, symbol theory, and reception theory. The results of the research reveal two main findings: (i) the form of Indang Dance is unique compared to other traditional dances in Padang Pariaman, characterized by its distinctive movements, costumes, and music; and (ii) the Indang Dance has received a positive response from audiences in various settings, including ritual activities and traditional ceremonies. It serves not only as a means of socialization for the Padang Pariaman regional development program but also as a form of social entertainment. The dance's ability to engage and captivate audiences highlights its cultural relevance and importance in the region. Through this study, we gain a deeper understanding of the Indang Dance's role in the cultural landscape of Padang Pariaman. The findings underscore the need for further research to explore the nuances of this traditional art form and its impact on the community. By documenting and analyzing the form and reception of Indang Dance, this article contributes to the broader discourse on Minangkabau performing arts and their significance in contemporary cultural practices.

Udmurt Healing Rituals. Semantic Models Of The Actional Code

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the actional code of the Udmurt healing rite, considered as a cultural text. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that the ritual actions of the healing rite are classified into groups according to the particular method of achieving the goal involved, something which takes into account the semantics of its actional component. The proposed classification is based on the system developed by E. E. Levkiyevskaya in her study of Slavic protective amulets. As a result of the analysis, the author has identified the main semantic models manifested in the elementary semantic units and motifs. The semantic models under consideration are divided into three groups: the first group combines ritual actions aiming at establishing contact, the second one contains actions intended to have impact on the source of the disease; and the third encompasses actions aimed at giving a patient an invulnerability to the disease. The analysis of folklore and ethnographic material reveals that motifs of the semantic models belonging to the second group were the most widespread ones, something which is accounted for by the fact that the concept of the fight between two opposing forces underlies most Udmurt healing rituals that involve performing an incantation against the disease.

Emergence of fibrecraft specialization 8000 years ago in early Neolithic North China

Fiber technology, crucial to human societies for millennia, encompasses cordage and textiles. The development of fiber crops and the production of fiber-based clothing are significant components of the Neolithic Revolution. Despite China being an independent center for agriculture, the role of fiber technology in this context remains largely unexplored. In this project, we employed a comprehensive approach that combines microfossil analysis and use-wear examinations to study tools from the Peiligang site in North China. This site uniquely spans the Upper Paleolithic and early Neolithic periods, offering an ideal setting for investigating the evolution of fiber production. Our results reveal that some Paleolithic blades and scrapers were associated with fiber production, which coincided with ostrich eggshell beads and hematite during the cold and dry Last Glacial Maximum period. Responding to climatic fluctuations, fiber production played a significant role in subsistence and ritual activities. In the early Neolithic, advanced fiber production is evident. Two adjacent burials yield tools and microfossil remains representing a toolkit for fiber and possible textile production, including harvesting, retting, pounding, scraping, and sewing. Fibers recovered from human bones provide potential evidence of textile production and use. Dyeing with blue, black, and red colorants was common for textiles, cordages, and strings. These grave goods suggest the involvement of the deceased in craft production with bast fibers, possibly embodying the earliest specialization in fiber craft 8000 years ago in Neolithic China.

PROBLEMS OF MAHAYANA DEVELOPMENT IN TANGERANG: A CASE STUDY IN PADUMUTTARA MONASTERY

This study aims to find out why Padumuttara monastery followers carry out the Mahayana tradition. This research is descriptive qualitative research. In order for the data obtained to be satisfactory, the authors conducted observations, interviews, and documentation so that the data obtained was accurate. Research on the existence of Mahayana at Padumutara monastery is that people carry out various Mahayana traditions because of teacher guidance, preserving culture and Buddha Dharma, containing teachings of love. In addition, the Mahayana tradition developed at the Padumuttara monastery due to the support from the management of the temple and the Boen Tek Bio Temple. The Mahayana tradition also experiences various obstacles such as language problems, ritual processions, and the lack of interest of the younger generation to participate in Mahayana ritual activities.

Leaders in Communicating and Maintaining Sustainable Academic Culture Toward the Top Ten Universities in Indonesia

For universities, leader performance is a determining factor for success. Organizational culture grows with the organization's leaders. In addition, there is a tendency to change the organizational culture perspective towards subjectivism (Clark, Geertz, Schwartz & Ogilvy, Weick). For the University of Lampung (Unila), which was founded in 1965, it turns out that leaders' communication performance under pressure of problems can maintain its academic culture. Initially, this research began with a decrease in Unila's ranking among Indonesian universities in 2019. After conducting the study, two cultural orientations were found, which are being a research university and an educational university. These two value orientations have the power to increase Unila's ranking among universities, as well as becoming a legacy. In 2022 there was a corruption case by university leaders, accepting bribes in admitting new students. The research continues with a focus on how a guided communication culture can maintain Unila's ranking. Data collection was carried out through intensive interviews with the new rector, vice rectors and faculty deans. The results show a picture of typical leader communication patterns, to maintain a sustainable academic culture. First, in the context of recovery, prioritizing internal communication patterns through ritual activities. Second, the slogan “Be Strong” was symbolically proclaimed within the academic community. Third, the communication pattern that is practiced both in the leadership ranks through the division of roles and among all members is to create togetherness, support each other, and reduce structural barriers.