Section A: 2.2 Early religious behaviour


Religious behaviour is founded upon belief in a power greater than ourselves and manifests itself in codes of moral conduct and rituals that offer praise or worship to this higher power. Archaeological studies of ancient civilisations have uncovered behaviours and practices which can be considered religious in nature. Examples of burial rites, sacrifices and rituals that mark times of transition point to a sense of spirituality in pre-historic societies.



Past Exam Question



Since ancient times people have used rites to mark key events in life - rite of burial, rite of sacrifice, rite of passage: Explain how evidence of religious belief can be seen in one of the above rites associated with people who lived in ancient times.

Through archaeology and historical research we find much that suggest religious behaviour on the part of ancient people. ‘Religious’ means they attached meaning to key moments in their lives, both as individuals and as a community. Events marked through ritual, building structures or statues, paintings or other artefacts can be deemed religious


The burial of the dead

Burial rituals show us how ancient societies viewed life, death and the question of an afterlife. One significant discovery was made by Karl Maska in Morovia in 1984. He discovered a mass grave, approx. 25,000 – 30,000 years old, containing the remains of eighteen people. The bodies were buried with ornaments and various other objects in a large oval pit covered with stone slabs and mammoth bones. Another example is the settlement of Catal Huyuk in Turkey. This settlement is dated between 6250 and 5400 BCE. During the excavation it was discovered that the people of this settlement buried their dead beneath the floors of their houses.

Rites of sacrifice

Ritual sacrifice was performed by some ancient societies. This involved giving something of value to the gods or god in order to show devotion or commitment. Important function in ancient societies – offered to please the gods, sometimes to ensure fertility of the soil for next year’s crops. Animal sacrifice was common – particularly among the Israelites. Human sacrifice also occurred, sometimes due to transgression, or breaking of societies rules.



The Tollund Man is a famous example that was discovered in Denmark in 1960. The preservative qualities of the peat bog played an important part in the quality of this 2,000 year old body. The body was found lying naked except for a cap and belt. A rope around his neck suggests he had been hung. Experts believed he had been ritually sacrificed.

Rites of passage and initiation

Rites of passage can be understood as another example of the early human need to understand and be in harmony with the cosmos. These rites follow a pattern of separation, transition and incorporation

A good example is the Native American coming of age ritual for boys, 13-15 years of age. A young ‘Brave’ would be sent away, to perform tasks of strength and endurance. He would be given something to eat or smoke to induce a vision. When he returned to the tribe, he explained the vision and is given a name based on it. The young ‘Brave’ is now treated as an adult in the tribe.

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