ANTH 363 Midterm: Midterm 2 Study Notes
29 Dec 2016
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Symbol definition: something which stands for something else. Symbols are observable, empirical objects, relationships, gestures, and spatial units. The meanings they carry are arbitrary and culture-specific. Symbols can be multivocalic (having many different meanings of equal or probable value). Saying lots of things to lots of different people. Symbols can be polysemic (having many meanings) The swastika used to be a symbol for good luck (especially for canadian hockey) Virgin appeared to juan diego (christianized indian) in 1531. Commands him to tell the archbishop of mexico to build her a church on tepeyac hill. Virgi(cid:374) tells juan to pick roses and gather them in his cloak. Presents cloak to archbishop but now there is an image of the virgin on it. Bishop then built the shrine where virgin appeared. Cloak hangs above the alter to this day. Taboo: something that is forbidden, prohibited, unclean, untouchably sacred, contagious.
