ANTB66H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Chaos Chaos, Sacred Mysteries, Axis Mundi
Document Summary
Cosmogony: the creation of the world or cosmo, theories that explain the origin of the world. Almost in all religions and belief systems there is order. Naval of the universe; referred to places that give embryonic birth, associated with temples, mountain tops, etc. Chaos (center of creation myths) rules a realm of confusion on the edges of hell. The hierophant is a priest who interprets sacred mysteries; sometimes a prophet eg. jesus christ, muhammad. Rituals are made up of a series of rites that protect the sacred from the profane. Ideas that extend from durkheim: the sacred is that which is set apart. Sacred centers like mountains and temples are protected by rites that repeat the origin myth, where the cosmos, the reigning order overcomes chaos. Gender, politics, economics, (this is variable depending on culture eg. caste. Gender, politics, economics, (this is variable depending on culture eg. caste system in india) The profane world is structured systems of hierarchy.
