Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T13:04:52.412Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Interpreting the Meaning of East Baltic Neolithic Symbols

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 December 2008

Indre R. Antanaitis
Indre R. Antanaitis
Affiliation:
Vilniaus universitetasUniversiteto 3 Archeologijos katedra Vilnius 2734 Lithuania
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Three sets of symbolic material from sites of the East Baltic Neolithic non-Corded Ware culture c. 6500–3500 bp are presented and compared in order to interpret certain aspects of the ideology of these prehistoric communities, specifically as it relates to their faunal environment and gender distinctions. Approaches taken consist of: 1) statistical analysis of a data base of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic symbols, and grave good inventories as they relate to gender; 2) comparison of frequencies of faunal types represented in the economy and in zoomorphic symbols; and 3) a cross-cultural comparison of contexts of the most frequently occurring Neolithic animal symbols in East Baltic historic mythology, folkore, and ethnography. It is hoped that the results of these multiple and varied approaches can serve as a middle ground between vague abstract theorizing about Neolithic ideology on the one hand, and a wealth of infrequently addressed symbolic material on the other.

Type
Articles
Information
Cambridge Archaeological Journal , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , April 1998 , pp. 55 - 68
Copyright
Copyright © The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anisimov, A.F., 1949. Predstavlenije evenkov o šingkenach i problema proischoždenia pervobytnoi religii. Muzei antropologii i etnografii, Akademii Nauk SSR XII, 65.Google Scholar
Antanaitis, I.R., 1996. A Multi-Varied Approach to Meaning of some East Baltic Neolithic Symbols. Unpub-lished Master's thesis, University of Nevada at LasVegas.Google Scholar
Balys, J., 1966. Lietnvhf Liaudies Pasaulejauta. Chicago (IL): Lithuanian Institute of Education.Google Scholar
Bourdieu, P., 1977. Outline of a Theory of Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Bula, D., 1996. Personal communication regarding Latvian folklore and certain faunal motifs within it. Dace Bula works at Latvia's Science Academy's Folklore Archives in Riga.Google Scholar
Butrimas, A. & Girininkas, A., 1990. Staryje mestnyje I novyje pogrebalnyje obriady v neolite Litvy. Lssledoanija v Oblasti Balto-Slavianskoj Duc’ovnoj Kultury85, 147–56.Google Scholar
Daugnora, L. & Girininkas, A., 1996. Osteoarcheologija Lietuvoje. Vidurinysis ir Vėlyvasis Holocenas. Vilnius: Kulturos Paveldos Centras.Google Scholar
Denisova, R., 1994. Zvejnieku akmens laikmeta kapulauka veidošanās vēsture saistībā ar iegūtajiem radioakfīvā oglekja datējumiem. Latvijas Vēstures Institūta Zurnals 4 (13), 28–44.Google Scholar
Ehrenberg, M., 1989. Women in Prehistory.London: British Museum Publications.Google Scholar
Eliade, M., 1978. A History of Religions Ideas: from the Stone Age to the Eleusian Mysteries, vol. 1. Chicago (IL): University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Gieysztor, A., 1965. Baltic lands: nature worship, in Laronsse World Mythology, ed.Grimal, P.. New York (NY): Gallery Books, 417–22.Google Scholar
Gimbutas, M., 1989. Language of the Goddess. San Francisco (CA): Harper and Row.Google Scholar
Gimbutienė, M., 1985. Baltai Priešistoriniais Laikais. Vilnius: Mokslas.Google Scholar
Gimbutienė, M., 1989. Baity mitologija. Mokslas irGyvenimas 1&10, 30–38. Vilnius.Google Scholar
Girininkas, A., 1990. Archeologija Litvy VII: Kreton — srednij i pozdnij neolit. Vilnius: Mokslas.Google Scholar
Girininkas, A., 1994. Baltu Kultūros Ištakos. Vilnius: Savastis.Google Scholar
Gurina, N.N., 1955. Novyje neolitičeskije pamiatniki v vostočnoj Estonii, in Archeologiline Kogumik I. Tallinn: Eesti Riiklik Kirjastus, 153–71.Google Scholar
Gurina, N.N., 1956. Olneostrovskij mogilnik. (Materialy I issledovanija po archeologii SSSR 47.) Moskva: Izdatelstvo Akademii Nauk SSR.Google Scholar
Harner, M., 1980. The Way of the Shaman. Toronto: BantamBooks.Google Scholar
Hodder, I., 1986. Reading the Past. (Current Approaches toInterpretation in Archaeology.) 2nd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Hoppál, M., 1989. Finno-Ugric mythology reconsidered, in Hoppál & Pentikäinen (eds.), 15–31.Google Scholar
Hoppál, M. & Pentikäinen, J., 1989. Uralic Mythology andFolklore. Budapest: Ethnographic Institute of Hungarian Academy of Sciences.Google Scholar
Jaanits, L., 1957. Neue Gräberfunde aufdem spätneolithischen Wolinplatz Tamula in Estland. Helsingfors: Helsinki.Google Scholar
Jaanits, L., 1959. Poselenija Epochi Neolita i Rannego Metallav Prinstje r. Emajogi. Tallin: Akademija NaukEstonskoj SSR, Institut Istorii.Google Scholar
Jaanits, L., 1984. Die kennzeichnende Züge der SielungTamula. ISKOS 4, 183–92.Google Scholar
Jaanits, L., Laul, S., Lōugas, V. & Tinisson, E., 1982. EestiEsiajalugu. Tallin: Eesti Raamat.Google Scholar
Jurginis, J. & Šidlauskas, A., 1988. Kraštas ir Žmonės. LietuvosGeografiniai ir Etnografiniai Aprašymai (XIV-XIX a.).Vilnius: Mokslas.Google Scholar
Kazlauskienė, B., 1983. Lietuviif Liaudies Dainynas:Vestuvinės Dainos, vol. 2. Vilnius: Vaga, 347–53.Google Scholar
Kelly, R.L., 1995. The Foraging Spectrum — Diversity inHunter-Gatherer Lifeways.Washington (DC): Smithsonian Institution Press.Google Scholar
Kerbelytė, B., 1986. Liaudies Pasakos Prasm’e Vilnius: Mokslas.Google Scholar
Kerbelytė, B., 1991. lstoričeskoe razvitie struktur i semantikiskazok: na materiale litovskič volšebnych skazok. Vilnius:Vaga.Google Scholar
Kerbelytė, B., 1997. Struktūrine Semantinė SakmiųKlasifikacija. Unpublished manuscript. Vilnius.Google Scholar
Kuusi, M., Bosley, K. & Branch, M., 1977. Finnish Folk PoetryEpic. Helsinki: Finnish Literature Society.Google Scholar
Laurinkienė, N., 1990. Mito Atšvaitai Lietuvių Kalendorin’eseDainose. Vilnius: Vaga.Google Scholar
Loze, I., 1979. Pozdnij Neolit i Ranniaja Bronza LubanskojRavniny. Riga: Zinātne.Google Scholar
Loze, I., 1983. Akmens Laikmeta Māksla Austrumbaltijā. Riga:Zinātne.Google Scholar
Loze, I., 1988. Poselenija Kamennogo Veka Lubanskoj Niziny, Mezolit, Rannij i Srednij Neolit. Riga:ZinātneGoogle Scholar
Mannhardt, W., 1936. Letto-preussische Götterlerhe.Magazin der Lettisch-litlerarisdien Gesselschaft 21, 51.Google Scholar
Mickeviaus, V.K., 1931. Mūsų Tautosaka 111.Kaunas: Spindulys.Google Scholar
Napolskikh, V.V., 1989. The diving-bird myth in northernEurasia, in Hoppál & Pentikäinen (eds.), 105–11.Google Scholar
Oinas, F.J., 1989. Shamanistic components in the Kalevala, in Hoppál & Pentikäinen (ed.), 277–86.Google Scholar
Ortner, S.B., 1979. On key symbols, in Reader in Comparative Religion: an Anthropological Approach, eds.essa, W. & Vogt, E.Z.. New York (NY): Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Paaver, K., 1965. Formirovanije Teriofauny i lzmenčivostMliekopytayuščich Pribaltiki v Golocene. Tartu:Akademiya Nauk Estonskoii SSR.Google Scholar
Paulson, I., 1964. The animal guardian: a critical and synthetic review. History of Religions 3 (2), 202–19.Google Scholar
Paulson, I., 1971. The Old Estonian Folk Religion. Bloomington (IN): Indiana University Press.Google Scholar
Pentikäinen, J.Y., 1989. Kalevala Mythology. Bloomington (IN): Indiana University Press.Google Scholar
Račiūnaitė-Vyčimienė, D., 1994. Augalųir gyvūnų simboliai senovės baitų kultūroje. Conference lecture at Lithuania's Science Academy, Oct. 25–6. Vilnius.Google Scholar
Renfrew, C, 1994a. Preface, in The Ancient Mind: Elements of Cognitive Archaeology, eds.Renfrew, C. & Zubrow, E.B.. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, xii-xiv.Google Scholar
Renfrew, C, 1994b. The archaeology of religion, in The Ancient Mind: Elements of Cognitive Archaeology, eds.Renfrew, C. & Zubrow, E.B.W.. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 47–54.Google Scholar
Rimantienė, R., 1979. Šventoji 1: Narvos Kultūros Gyvenviet’es. Vilnius: Mokslas.Google Scholar
Rimantienė, R., 1984. Akmens Amžius Lietuvoje. Vilnius: Mokslas.Google Scholar
Rimantienė, R., 1992. The Neolithic of the eastern Baltic. Journal of World Prehistory 6 (1), 97–143.Google Scholar
Rimantienė, R., 1995. Lietuva iki Kristaus. Vilnius: Vilniaus Dailes Akademijos Leidykla.Google Scholar
Simčenka, J., 1976. Kultura Ochotnikov na Olenej Servernoj Evrazii.Moskva: Nauk.Google Scholar
Šmits, P., 1926. Latviešu Mītologija otrs Pārstrādāts Īzderums. Riga: Valtera un Rapas akc. sab. Izderums.Google Scholar
Stepanova, M.V., 1949. Dva eskimoskich pojasa iz sobranija. Muzei antropologii i etnografii, Akademii Nauk SSR XI, 66.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. & Reimer, P.J., 1986. A computer programme for radiocarbon age determination. Radiocarbon 28, 1022–30.Google Scholar
Valančius, M., Vysk., 1972. Žemaičių vyskupystė, in Raštai 11, 87.Google Scholar
Vankina, L., 1970. Torfianikovaja stojanka Sarnate. Riga: Zinātne.Google Scholar
Vėlius, N., 1977. Mitin'es Lietuvių Sakm's Būltyb'es. Vilnius: Science Academy's Lithuanian Language and Literature Institute.Google Scholar
Zagorska, I., 1994. Jauni dati par Zvejnieku akmens kapulauka hronologiju. Latvijas Vestures Instituta Zurnals 4 (13), 9–27.Google Scholar
Zagorskis, F., 1987. Zvejnieku Akmens Laikmeta Kapulauks. Riga: Zinātne.Google Scholar
Zalizniak, L., 1989. Ochotniki na Severnovo Olenia Ukrainskovo Polesja Epochi Finalnovo Paleolita. Kijev: Nankova dumka.Google Scholar
Zinkevičius, Z., 1984. Lietuvių Kalbos Kilme. Lietuvių Kalbos Islorija, vol. 1. Vilnius: Mokslas.Google Scholar
Zvelebil, M., 1986. Mesolithic prelude and Neolithic revolution, in Hunters in Transition, ed.Zvelebil, M.. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 5–16.Google Scholar
Zvelebil, M., in press a. Hunter-gatherer ritual landscapes: spatial organization, social structure and ideology among hunter-gatherers of northern Europe (and western Siberia), in Ideology and Social Structure of the Hunting, Gathering and Farming Communities in Stone Age Europe, eds.Van Gijn, A. & Zvelebil, M.. Leiden: Analecta Archeologica.Google Scholar
Zvelebil, M., in press b. Social structure and ideology of the Late Mesolithic communities in north temperateEurope, in The Mesolithic of the Atlantic Façade, eds.Gonzales-Morales, M. & Clarke, G.A..Google Scholar
Zvelebil, M. & Dolukhanov, P., 1991. Transition to farming in eastern and northern Europe. Journal of World Prehistory 5(3), 233–78.Google Scholar