SHAMANISM, ROCK ART, AND SACRED STONES

The relationship between shamans and different elements in nature has been portrayed throughout Europe from a far back as 40,000 years during the Upper Palaeolithic era. This is seen in the cave paintings of Lascaux in France, and Altimira in Spain. Another well known art are phenomenon which has drawn many parallels to the cave art in France and Spain, has been the San cave art in South Africa, which is estimated to be 3,000 years old. It is almost certain that rock and cave art is related to Sympathetic Magic with reference to hunting and animal ceremonialism. The painted images and rock carvings found throughout the world, represent different forms of communication taking place, where communication and visions from both the physical and spiritual worlds, are portrayed by shamans after communication has been encountered.

Animism is an academic term used to describe the world of spirits, and nature, and the relationship between the two. Animism is described as a basis upon which the practice of shamanism takes place, whereby everything in the universe is connected together as a whole, via strands and forms of energy that are intricately woven between the earth, the cosmos, trees, stones, the stars, the sun, the moon, humans, animals, plants and the dead. All these different elements are combined together producing what Chief Seattle called: The Web of Life. Moreover, animism has been a part of Northern Identity from a far back as the very first hunters-gatherers, who relied on nature for their food, clothes, medicines, shelter and their spirituality.

The rock art which has been discovered in Finland since the beginning of the twentieth century and in the circumpolar regions of Northern countries has been primarily linked to animal ceremonialism because of high presence of painted hunting scenes depicted on the surfaces of large stone panels. Rock paintings in Finland have been dated between 2-5,000 years old approximately. There appears to be two different types of rock paintings, namely those painted by the hunter and the ones painted by the shaman.

Many rock art sites are situated near the lakes and waterways in Finland, which were once a central part of the travel routes throughout Scandinavia. These routes extended from the Ural Mountains in Northern Russia, through Finland and Sweden and into Northern Norway. Pictures of Sun boats at rock art site such at Astuvansalmi at Riistina in Eastern Finland indicate that they were used by early tribes and travellers who ritually hunted animals for food supplies as well as their skins and fur to make clothes, from and bones from which tools and ceremonial objects were produced.

It is perhaps Hossa also called Colour Rock in Northern Karelia, and Astuvansalmi in South Eastern Finland, which specifically portray some of the most elaborate paintings of an animistic nature. At Astuvansalmi for example, the pictures are painted on a stone panel close to the side of the anthropomorphic head of a large stone God, a Guardian of the area.

Prior to hunting ceremonies at certain times throughout the year, the shaman through ritual activities, established communication with the spirit of the Stone, whilst in an altered state of consciousness, known as a state of trance. The communication by the shaman was induced through activities such as dancing, drumming, singing, chanting, and occasionally, the ritualised use of certain plants and herbs that assisted the shaman in opening up doorways in the consciousness, which provided a medium, whereby the shaman could approach the guardian spirit in the rock and ask for help with successful hunting. This activity was usually followed by sacrificial rites to the spirit, as a way of giving thanks and maintaining a balanced relationship between the guardian spirit of the area and the tribe, and is portrayed at Astuvansalmi within this context.

The painted panel at Riistina, consists mainly of pictures of elk in close proximity to human figures, three of which are horned (one holding a staff) and one female figure with breasts who is holding a bow. There are also five or six ‘elk boats’ depicted on the panel too, suggesting a ceremony related to magic, as spirit boats are another common feature found in shamanism. They were used for making journeys from the physical world to the world of the spirits. The close proximity of both animals and humans in the scene also indicates the close relationship between people and animals several thousand years ago, and this is still a common feature found today in shamanism.

At the Hossa site in Northern Karelia there is an elaborate painted panel depicting a dancing figure in the centre who is suggestive of changing into an animal, or wearing horns or large ears, as well as figures with triangular shaped heads, elks, deer and anthropomorphic fish like figures, giving the panel a certain kind of richness to it.

Wearing costumes made from animal skins is another one of the central features of northern shamanism, as is metamorphosis by a shaman from the human form into that of an animal, whilst in a trance state or altered state of consciousness. Also visible on the panel at Hossa are human dancing figures which have been painted on the rock as well. A picture of this nature may indicate the painted experiences of a shaman after being in an altered state of consciousness.

In a similar manner to the Astuvansalmi site, there is also the presence of a humanoid stone anthropomorphic face to the left of the painted area, whom it may be suggested is the Guardian of the area.

The pictures found at rock art sites were painted using a combination of Iron ore from the stones below the water, animal fat and blood, and red dye from the Alder tree (Leipa). It is also believed that occasionally small amounts of human blood were also used. Evidence suggests that after rock paintings had been created, some were charged with circuits of spiritual power that resemble a web or snake like structure, through which the shaman would use to travel through or into the rock to communicate with the Guardian spirit. Sometimes this was a difficult and dangerous task and therefore, the shaman was assisted by spirit helpers, who would assure a safe return back to the physical world.Because of the richness and diversity of the content presented through the painted images at Astuvansalmi and Hossa, it is understandable how shamans also used certain rocks as a way of accessing their 'inner territory' or different levels of reality, which usually consisted of three, six or nine different worlds. These different worlds gave shape and structure to the shamans cosmos. Within these different dimensions, there included a world where ancestors and guardian spirits resided, as well as what is often called the 'Realm of the Departed' and also the spirit side of the physical world of everyday events. Journeys to these different dimensions usually required the assistance of helping spirits.

The paintings at Astuvansalmi and Hossa show the presence of horned figures dancing, and the figure at Hossa with the large ears, indicates the use of ceremonial costumes. Horns and horned figures are still a common feature present in shamanic cultures today. The ceremonial use of horns, is thought to represent antennae like structures, where messages are transmitted from the spirits to the shaman through the horns and visa-versa. Horned figures painted at rock art sites have also been considered to represent Totem animal-spirits, the deities of certain clans and tribes, as well as the shamans helping spirit animals. In particular, it was through dance and interaction with animals that the shaman could communicate with the clan progenitor, during hunting, appeasing the spirit for luck and successful hunting, as well as the successful birthing of animals during the spring.

There are many other Sacred stones to be found in Finland, many that are absent of painted pictures. These uniquely shaped stones and rocks in certain areas date back at least as far as the Stone Age Era, and some have both human and animal like characteristics similar to those found at rock art sites. Sacred stones that have a specific function are often visible at high energy places, or on what are called Ley lines in modern times, and also around the border areas of certain districts.

Certain stones were used by shamans and later priests, for healing. The function of such stones were to fulfil a multipurpose role, such appeasement through the use of sympathetic healing magic, and for giving guidance through divination or dreams after objects such as amulets or charms were left at the site. Certain stones that were similar to caves were used as doorways into the earth to communicate with the spirits of the departed. And where healing was concerned, a relationship was maintained between humans and 'Offering' stones specifically through sacrificial acts where certain parts of the slaughtered animal were ritually given to the stone. Another common occurrence regarding sacrifice later during in agricultural times was offerings of bread, fish, fruit, seeds, grain, berries, blood and certain herbs, for the furthering of good crops, to the spirit of the stone and as an exchange for healing power and visions.

Francis Joy

 
Sivua muokattu viimeksi 02.01.2012