Ancient Sites from the Eastern

WorldviewPhysical Places of Spiritual Mystery

Inukshuks and Inunnguaq – Arctic RegionThe Inuit have become famous for their Inukshuks. These were originally built as markers of sacred places and to give direction for people as they travelled and hunted and to mark food caches.

Actually the original Inukshuk are piles of or upright stones which were used to scare and herd the caribou when hunting.

The human looking structures are properly called “Inunnguaq”, and the ones without arms are the “inuksuit” (plural).

Totem Poles – Haida Gwaii, BC, Canada

These huge carved poles were used to identify tribes and families by expressing who they were spiritually. The spirit world is often expressed through abstract images of animals.

Anasazi – Canyon de Celly and Mesa Verde , ArizonaThe Anasazi people have disappeared and no one knows why

but they are now famous for their curious structures. Many of them built their homes in the cliffs.

They also made “kivas”, ceremonial pits built into the ground. It is believed they signified the “underworld”.

They also built tall towers which could not have been used for living. They have small windows that line up with the sunsets at the spring and fall equinox and the summer and winter solstice.

Indian Mounds – all over the USAThe First People in North America would bury their dead in one area

and cover them with dirt and other materials, thus creating mounds or

“Tumulus” or “Barrows”.

Later, hollow mounds were also built so they could be used for

special meetings or ceremonies.

Over time, these huge, ancient, mounds of earth were also built for erecting temples, dwellings for tribal leaders, or places of

ceremonies and festivals.

Serpent Mound – OhioThis is probably the most famous of these mounds because of its size and advanced artistic nature. It is the largest effigy mound in the world. No one knows for sure what purpose it served but there are burial mounds around the area.

Medicine Wheel – Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming, USA

Medicine Wheels were introduced during a time when Native North Americans were killing each other off due to tribal warfare. It is a way to use physical means to deal with negative spirituality. The large ancient wheels are aligned with the stars.

Medicine Wheels were once placed inside our outside of each person’s dwelling. They are still used among First Nations people

throughout North America. The four parts relate to the four compass points and the four seasons. They can also be applied to basically any

other issue in life that is divided into 4 parts in order to help one be able to organized their feelings or thoughts and begin to see clearly.

Moai – Heads of Easter Island (off east coast of South America)It is believed that these giant head monoliths are the work of an

ancient race called the Rapa Nui. It is thought that each head represents a ruler of the past who lived inside a small hut with no

door for a 5 months and grew his fingernails long.

Stone Circles - Great Britain and EuropeThere are many stone circle sites in the UK,

the most famous being Stonehenge. No one knows how they were built.

It is believed they were part of an ancient druid worship because they correspond to the position of the sun during various seasons and the phases of the moon.

Hill Figures – Great BritainAll over the island of Great Britain are giant figures of people and horses, dug into and preserved in the limestone hills. The top layer of soil has been removed, revealing the white limestone underneath.

They are visible best from far

away.

It is believed they held spiritual or

political significance.

Nazca Lines – PeruAll around the Nazca Desert of Peru

are geoglyphs - figures and geometric shapes and lines carved into the

desert floor.

What makes these so fascinating is their immense size and the fact that they are not barely visible from the ground.

They can be seen from far off hills but their perfect shapes only really stand when viewed from the sky.

No one knows for sure what purpose they served.

Why do you think sites and objects are so common among these “non-western” cultures and not among “western” cultures?

What are some major differences between theWestern World View and Eastern World View?

Nature can be explained by Science and Reason

Nature is accepted as Mysterious and even illogical

Life is explained through Stories and Emotions

Life is explained through Knowledge and Facts

Life is experienced as a separation of physical and spiritual

Life is experienced as a unityof physical and spiritual

Life is lived according to Time Life is lived according to Events

Time is understood as a Line Time is understood as a Circle

What can we learn from this? 1. Take an interest in and learn about the differences in others. 2. Appreciate and celebrate the VARIETY that God has created within Humankind.

3. Strive for UNITY with those who are different than you and try

to learn from their ways.