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Religious Symbols
Chapter 3
Introduction
Most animals have ways of communicating
Human communication is the most complex
We use symbols to discuss abstract topics or ideas Future events, supernatural, emotions, etc.
Define what a symbol is and give examples…
What is a Symbol?
Something that stands for something else
Everyone in community has to agree to its meaning Bald eagle = America Skull and crossbones = poison or danger
Characteristics:
Displacement: symbols that refer to remote things
Arbitrary: symbols that have no direct connection to what they symbolize
Openness: can create new symbols
Symbols can be physical items, songs, sounds, movement, etc.
Religious Symbols
Many religious ceremonies center on symbols
Statues
Masks to impersonate gods
Words, chants
Music and dance
Video
Watch the following video on a Roman sarcophagus and list symbolism discussed
https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/ap-art-history/ancient-mediterranean-AP/AP-ancient-rome/v/battle-of-the-romans-and-barbarians--ludovisi-battle-sarcophagus---c--250-260-c-e
More Practice
Try to identify the religious symbols
Judaism BuddhismBuddhism Hinduism
Christianity IslamRastafarianism Wicca(St. Peter’s Cross)
Shinto Zoroastrianism Islam Christianity
(from Galatians)
Shinto: spiritual practice of ancient Japan (based on ancestral spirits)
Zoroastrianism: ancient Iranian religion with dual aspects: Illuminating Wisdom and Destructive Spirit
Rastafarianism: Ethiopian sect of Christianity
Wicca: Modern witchcraft and pagan rituals; connection to Mother Earth
Religious Symbols
What symbol is this?
What does it mean to you?
Religious Symbols
It is actually an ancient symbol from Sanskrit meaning “good” “to exist”
Used in Buddhism and Hinduism
Used in Navaho art to represent creation myth of Whirling Log
How did the Nazis change and take control of this symbol?
Religious Symbols
What is this symbol?
What does it mean to you?
Religious Symbols
It is actually a pagan symbol representing the sacred fruit of the apple
Is used to represent the five books of the Torah (Pentateuch)
Did not represent evil until Witchcraze
Wiccans use it to represent earth, air, fire, water, and spirit
Religious Symbols
Now linked to Satanic worship
See the difference?
Religious Symbols
Christian symbols also have many varieties
The cross was not accepted for many centuries
Now linked to different denominations
Religious Symbols
Roman Catholic Body of Christ
Protestant No body of Christ (he
is risen)
Methodist 2 flames: Christ and
Holy Spirit
Orthodox 3 bars: inscription,
arms, footrest
Religious Symbols
The most important early Christian symbol was the fish Apostles are “fishers of men” Acrostic of Greek work icthus (“Jesus Christ
of God the Son and Savior”) Password for early persecuted Christians
Video: Swastika
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_reuMKpgow
Color as a Symbol
Connects to culture and religious beliefs
What color is associated with weddings in US? Funerals?
In China, the bride wears red
Meaning of Color
English has eleven basic color terms: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, pink, black, white, and grey
We define colors narrowly and have specialized terms Blue turquoise, navy, teal, sky, etc.
Industrialized societies have more basic color terms than languages in less complex societies Why?
Meaning of Color
Color is a symbol!
What does “blue” mean? Is it the same as “azule”? Or as “navy?”
It depends on context
Navaho think turquoise is the ideal blue color It has religious
significance and is important in their culture
Meaning of Color
The Yoruba of Nigeria have only three color terms
Funfun ~ white, silver, gray
Pupa ~ red, pink, orange, deep yellow
Dudu ~ black, blue, purple, green, brown, red-brown, dark gray
Yoruba beaded artwork
Meaning of Color
In English, colors can be emotions:
What are the emotions for: Red Green Yellow Blue
Use of Time and Space
Symbols are used to create sacred realities Supernatural Sacred space Divisions of time
Use of Time and Space
Idea of time is related to culture
People make recurring units of time that are based on observable events (sun, moon)
We then divide these into phases
But we also make units that are completely arbitrary Time is connected to rituals and religious
ceremonies
Time and Space Mayan:
Calendar based on sun (365 days) but 18 months of 20 days and one month of 5 days
Second calendar (260 days) that ran simultaneously
18,980 combinations of days
52 years to go through all combinations
Used to predict events (remember end of the world in 2012?)
Time and Rituals
Many rituals performed in cycles: periodic rituals
Usually celebrate or commemorate important event
Ex. Ramadan is 9th months of Islamic calendar
When Qur’an was sent down from heaven to Mohammad
Lunar calendar
Means date of Ramadan is different each year
Time and Rituals Jewish high holy days
Lunar calendar
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) until Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
A 13th month is added sometimes to keep dates from varying too much
Shiva is the time after a person dies
Family or friends stay with the body and mourn/pray
Similar to a wake in Christian ritual
Music and Dance
These play special roles in religious rituals
A lot of variation
Tell stories or myths through music and movement
Music
Very important part of ritual
Set the mood or tone (think organ playing at funeral)
Tell religious stories important in oral traditions Helps with memorization
Way for humans to communicate with gods
Music
Since music is connected to culture, musical meaning is not universal
Early missionaries found that indigenous people did not connect to their hymns and Westerners often do not connect to indigenous music
Now people fuse traditional music with contemporary music in a way called syncretism
Music in Ritual Four types of instruments
Idiophones Shaken, struck, or rubbed (rattles,
marimbas, xylophones)
Membranophones Taut skin (drums)
Cordophones Plucked or strummed (harp, violin)
Aerophones Air blown into or across (pipe)
Music in Ritual
Music can be used in hunting rituals or in healing rituals
Used in initiations
Membranophones are very important in storytelling and rituals Rhythm is critical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSlR7HvWxeY
Dance Not very common in American rituals
In other cultures can represent supernatural, tell stories, show entering another realm, be offerings to deities
Dance is a system of patterned movements Varies by culture Culturally determined meaning
Spirit can enter the human body to make movement Voodoo Pentecostal Whirling Dirvishes
Assignment
ICA #2: Making Joyful Noise (with videos)
Videos (dance/music)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaSR6W_JOKc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw43wqAtQhA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHjFgOfoZ7M
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