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