ANTHROP 1AB3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Medicine Man, Hunter-Gatherer, Portable Art
8 Sep 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Lecture 10
Magic and religion
• Magic-supernatural techniques intended to accomplish specific aims.
• Using certain rituals such as spell casting, changing, songs, through reading certain
words and other particular repetitive words with goals of performing function.
• In some cultures, magic is inseparable from religious beliefs, while in others it is seen as
completely separate.
• Both are nonrational as its based upon faith.
• Magic is often aimed at specific issues/problems, while religion is more concerned with
the bigger picture.
• Magic can fit into a religious system, utilize personal agency and power, ex: prayer.
• Difference in size groups.
• Religions can include billions of people, while magic is usually personal or small scale.
• Magic usually has a specific purpose; it is very individualistic.
• There is an individual aspect that is not there in religion; religion is based ion the
community.
• In western society we often view magic as evil, however, in those groups that practice
magi, is is neither good or evil.
• If used for positive purposes, then it its good and if used for negative ones then it is bad.
• Anthropologists and other scholars have used two terms to separate the use of magic in
non-western cultures.
• Witchcraft- is inborn, involuntary, and often unconscious capacity to cause harm to
other people. You may be
• Sorcery- is the performance of certain magical rites for the purpose of harming other
people.
• Religious practices are often done at specific predetermined times while magic Is usually
performed when the need arises.
• Some magic rituals, however, need to be performed during these
• Religions have specific leaderships; however, magic can be performed by anyone.
Types of magic
Imitative magic/sympathetic magic
• The concept of like produces like.
• It is based on imitation.
• If you wish to use magic for a specific purpose it is based on imitation.
• In voodoo the practice will recreate an imitation of the person in which they want to
control.
Contagious magic
Document Summary
Magic and religion: magic-supernatural techniques intended to accomplish specific aims, using certain rituals such as spell casting, changing, songs, through reading certain words and other particular repetitive words with goals of performing function. In western society we often view magic as evil, however, in those groups that practice magi, is is neither good or evil. Imitative magic/sympathetic magic: the concept of like produces like. If you wish to use magic for a specific purpose it is based on imitation. In voodoo the practice will recreate an imitation of the person in which they want to control. In our culture, we are fascinated with this notion of contagious magic. It is a common practice all over the world. Includes material culture such as artifacts (portable hand held objects) and artifacts. Gobekil tepe: southeastern turkey; archaeological site on mountain ridge, discovered 1994; 12000 b. p. In order to build this, they would need a large number of people.
