definitions primitive is equated with complexity. I
shall now look at a brief history of shamanism.
History of Shamanism
VII
Shamanism is believed to be the world’s oldest
religion. When considered in today’s context,
shamans, are culturally appropriated according to
the demands of their particular culture. In other
words the view of the contemporary shaman is
relativistic. Shamans are traditionally associated
with hunter-gather tribes and therefore
shamanism is at the root of the development of
many major cultural forms, including drama and
poetry. I shall now address the history of
shamanism according to Harvey and Wallis’s
criteria, 2007. It is important to question
eurocentrism when deliberating upon this
particular timeline. Shamanism began in caves
with Shamanistic art. In the Neolithic period
(8300 BCE), various visual cultures have been
labelled “shamanic”. This developed into the
Bronze Age (2500 BCE) where jewellery and other
significant artefacts have been found which bear
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