Shamanic and\or cognitive evolution
Documenta Praehistorica January 18, 2023 Mihály Hoppál 3 citations
Shamanism has been subject to many misconceptions, but recent ethnological and cognitive-evolutionary research offers a reinterpretation of its basic concepts. This analytical paper examines shamanic healing methods, simple rhythmic and motor patterns, and visual or symbolic representations. It argues that these elements helped reconstruct mechanisms that contributed to early social life and intellectual history in prehistoric communities. The work synthesizes field data and cognitive studies to propose how shamanic practices, including ritual singing and visual symbolism, may have shaped community rituals and symbolic thought.