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Timeline of religion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Religion has been a factor of the human experience throughout history, from pre-historic to modern times. The bulk of the human religious experience pre-dates recorded history, which is roughly 7,000 years old.[1] A lack of written records results in most of the knowledge of pre-historic religion being derived from archaeological records and other indirect sources, and from suppositions. Much pre-historic religion is subject to continued debate.

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Religious practices in prehistory

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Middle Paleolithic (200,000 BC – 50,000 BC)

Despite claims by some researchers of bear worship, belief in an afterlife, and other rituals, current archaeological evidence does not support the presence of religious practices by modern humans or Neanderthals during this period.[2]

  • 100,000 BC: Earliest known human burial in the Middle East.[3][4]
  • 78,000 BC – 74,000 BC: Earliest known Homo sapiens burial of a child in Panga ya Saidi, East Africa.
  • 70,000 BC – 35,000 BC: Neanderthal burials take place in areas of Europe and the Middle East.[5]

50th to 11th millennium BCE

  • 40,000 BCE: The remains of one of the earliest known anatomically modern humans to be discovered cremated, was buried near Lake Mungo.[6][7][8][9][10]
  • 38,000 BCE: The Aurignacian[11] Löwenmensch figurine, the oldest known zoomorphic (animal-shaped) sculpture in the world and one of the oldest known sculptures in general, was made. The sculpture has also been interpreted as anthropomorphic, giving human characteristics to an animal, although it may have represented a deity.[12]
  • 35,000 BCE – 26,001 BCE: Neanderthal burials are absent from the archaeological record. This roughly coincides with the appearance of Homo sapiens in Europe and decline of the Neanderthals; individual skulls and/or long bones began appearing, heavily stained with red ochre and separately buried. This practice may be the origin of sacred relics.[5] The oldest discovered "Venus figurines" appeared in graves. Some were deliberately broken or repeatedly stabbed, possibly representing the murders of the men with whom they were buried,[5] or owing to some other unknown social dynamic.[citation needed]
  • 25,000 BCE – 21,000 BCE: Clear examples of burials are present in Iberia, Wales, and eastern Europe. These, too, incorporate the heavy use of red ochre. Additionally, various objects were included in the graves (e.g. periwinkle shells, weighted clothing, dolls, possible drumsticks, mammoth ivory beads, fox teeth pendants, panoply of ivory artifacts, "baton" antlers, flint blades etc.).[5]
  • 13,000 BCE – 8,000 BCE: Noticeable burial activity resumed. Prior mortuary activity had either taken a less obvious form or contemporaries retained some of their burial knowledge in the absence of such activity. Dozens of men, women, and children were being buried in the same caves which were used for burials 10,000 years beforehand. All these graves are delineated by the cave walls and large limestone blocks. The burials share a number of characteristics (such as use of ochre, and shell and mammoth ivory jewellery) that go back thousands of years. Some burials were double, comprising an adult male with a juvenile male buried by his side. They were now beginning to take on the form of modern cemeteries. Old burials were commonly re-dug and moved to make way for new ones, with the older bones often being gathered and cached together. Large stones may have acted as grave markers. Pairs of ochred antlers were sometimes mounted on poles within the cave; this is compared to the modern practice of leaving flowers at a grave.[5]

10th to 6th millennium BCE

  • 10,000 BCE – 8,000 BCE: The Baghor stone from presumably one of the oldest Shakti shrines in India, and one of the oldest sites of worship yet discovered in the world, is estimated to have been formed during this period (9000-8000 BCE). However, it may predate 10,000 BCE as samples were dated to 11,870 (± 120) YBP in a 1983 publication.[13] The living shrine at which it was found is currently used as a place for worshipping Devi by both Hindus and Indian Muslims. The triangular shape of the stone is that of the Kali Yantra which is also still in use across India. The Kol and Baiga tribes consider the triangular shape to symbolise the mother goddess 'Mai', variously named Kerai, Kari, Kali, Kalika or Karika.[14]
  • 9130 BCE – 8000 BCE: This was the apparent period of use of Göbekli Tepe with the earliest dates back to 9500 calBC, one of the oldest human-made sites of worship yet discovered; evidence of similar usage has also been found in another nearby site, Nevalı Çori.[15][16]
  • 7500 BCE – 5700 BCE: The settlements of Çatalhöyük developed as a likely spiritual center of Anatolia. Possibly practising worship in communal shrines, its inhabitants left behind numerous clay figurines and impressions of phallic, feminine, and hunting scenes.[17][verification needed]
  • 7250 BCE – 6500 BCE: The Ayn Ghazal statues were made in Jordan during the Neolithic.[18] These statues were argued to have been gods, legendary leaders, or other figures of power. They were suggested to have been a representation of a fusion of previously separate communities by Gary O. Rollefson.[19]
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Before Common Era (BCE)

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Extent and major sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation. The shaded area does not include recent excavations.
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Common Era (CE)

1st to 5th centuries

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Middle Ages (5th–15th centuries)

See also: History of religions § Middle Age

5th to 10th centuries

11th to 15th centuries

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Early modern and Modern eras

See also: History of religions § Modern period

16th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

21st century

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See also

Notes

Bibliography

External links

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