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ref:
Before Farming 2006/4 article 1
Shamanism: a contested concept in archaeology
JD Lewis-Williams
Rock Art Research Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
david@rockart.wits.ac.za
Keywords: Shamanism, rock art, archaeology
Abstract
This article reviews the debate that has grown up around the use of the words ‘shaman’ and ‘shamanism’ in archaeology, especially in rock art research. It sets out the argument that certain rock arts derived from a set of rituals and associated mental experiences that are widely known as ‘shamanistic’. It then considers some of the objections that have been raised to this proposition.
ref: Before Farming 2006/4 article 2
Shamanism and Indian rock art
Comment in response to David Lewis-Williams’ paper ‘Shamanism: a contested concept in archaeology’ Before Farming 2006/4 article 1
Nicole Boivin
Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, The Henry Wellcome Building
University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH
n .boivin @human-evol.cam.ac.uk
ref: Before Farming 2006/4 article 3
Shamanism and East African rock art
Comment in response to David Lewis-Williams’ paper ‘Shamanism: a contested concept in archaeology’ Before Farming 2006/4 article 1
Alec Campbell
Trust for African Rock Art (TARA), PO Box 306, Gaborone, Botswana
David Coulson
Trust for African Rock Art (TARA), PO Box 24122, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
david@africanrockart.org
ref: Before Farming 2006/4 article 4
Considering consciousness: a view from North America
Comment in response to David Lewis-Williams’ paper ‘Shamanism: a contested concept in archaeology’ Before Farming 2006/4 article 1
Kelley Hays-Gilpin
Northern Arizona University and the Museum of Northern Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
kelley.hays-gilpin@nau.edu
ref: Before Farming 2006/4 article 5
This is not an image, just a pretext!
Comment in response to David Lewis-Williams’ paper ‘Shamanism: a contested concept in archaeology’ Before Farming 2006/4 article 1
Augustin FC Holl
Museum of Anthropology , The University of Michigan , USA
holla@umich.edu
ref: Before Farming 2006/4 article 6
Shamanism and rock art interpretation
Comment in response to David Lewis-Williams’ paper ‘Shamanism: a contested concept in archaeology’ Before Farming 2006/4 article 1
Paul SC Taçon
School of Arts, Griffith University, Australia
p.tacon@griffith.edu.au
ref: Before Farming 2006/4 article 7
Is there a shamanism and rock art debate?
Comment in response to David Lewis-Williams’ paper ‘Shamanism: a contested concept in archaeology’ Before Farming 2006/4 article 1
David S Whitley
447 Third St, Fillmore, CA 93015USA
huitli@adelphia.net
ref: Before Farming 2006/4 article 12
Response
JD Lewis-Williams
ref: Before Farming 2006/4 article 13
The Neuropsychiatry of Shamanism
Robert M Kaplan
Graduate School of Medicine, Building 28, University of Wollongong
NSW, 2522, Australia
rob.liaison@gmail.com
Keywords: Shamanism, neuropsychiatry, hallucinations, altered states of consciousness, trance state
schizophrenia, epilepsy, laterality
Abstract
The shamanic state is a human constant, arising from the substrate of the brain. Hunter-gatherer shamanism is based on altered states of consciousness, induced by a variety of means.
This paper examines shamanism from a neuropsychiatric perspective, looking at disorders of self, hallucinations, epilepsy, schizophrenia and other psychoses, lycanthropy, and sleep disorders. While the majority of shamanic individuals are normal in that they do not have neuropsychiatric disorders, examination of these conditions can illustrate the underlying brain mechanisms.
The speciation of Homo sapiens led to lateralisation of the brain with significant expansion in the left temporo-occipital region that allowed the use of symbolism. Laterality changes – decreased left/increased right hemisphere dominance – link schizophrenia, schizotypy and increased creativity. From this it was a short step to the phenomena intrinsic to shamanism.
ref: Before Farming 2006/4 article 11
The effects of the tree-to-ground sleep transition in the evolution of cognition in early Homo
Frederick L Coolidge
Psychology Department, PO Box 7150, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, CO
fcoolidg@uccs.edu
Thomas Wynn
Anthropology Department, PO Box 7150
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7150, USA
twynn@uccs.edu
Keywords: Slow-wave sleep, REM sleep, Homo erectus, ground sleep transition, creativity
Abstract
Just as the study of great apes aids in the understanding of early hominid evolution, so too can contemporary dream research help in the understanding of ancient hominid dream life and cognitive evolution. It has been proffered that a major leap forward in the cognitive evolution of hominoids may first have occurred in the building of nests, and a second major step may have been the full transition to ground sleep. These two changes may have begun a modification of the quality and quantity of hominid sleep, which in turn may have enhanced waking survival skills through priming, promoted creativity and innovation and aided the consolidation of procedural memories. Current dream research with children, adults, animals and the dreams of modern hunter-gatherers appears to support the hypothesis that these changes in sleep may have been important to the cognitive evolution of hominids from Homo habilis to Homo erectus.
© Western Academic & Specialist Press Ltd 2007
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