Tahoma (Mt. Rainier) said to be sacred for many pre-Columbian residents of the Puget Sound Area. EOP 1998
The second session of 717 Pilgrimage and Human Society looks at the kinds of places attracting pilgrims, sacred sites and spaces. As we shall see, the term "sacred" is a difficult one to define, but there are some common categories into which most pilgrimage destinations can be classified, and this session looks at those categories with illustrative examples.
Session II: Sacred Sites and Spaces
Outline
I. Introductory comments.
A. "All sites of pilgrimage have this in common: they are believed to be places where miracles once happened, still happen, and may happen again." Victor Turner. 1978. Image and Pilgrimage.
B. Almost every inhabited place on earth (and many uninhabited ones as well) is sacred to someone.
C. Sacred Sites and spaces are necessary but not sufficient reasons for pilgrimage.
D. Not all sacred sites attract pilgrims.
II. Sacred spaces not attracting pilgrims.
A. Tabu places.
B. Places restricted to elites only.
C. Other places venerated but not visited.
III. Categories of sacred sites and spaces.
A. The dramatic and awesome in nature.
B. Sites of great socio-cultural importance.
C. Arbitrary sites.
IV. Sacred spaces in nature
A. Some types.
1. Dangerous places.
2. Awesome and dramatic places.
3. Evocative Places
B. Ecological considerations.
1. Protect resources.
2. Protect from enemies - barriers.
V. Culturally defined spaces.
A. Places linked to heroic persons, real or legendary.
1. Life cycle events (birth, initiation, marriage, death).
2. Career events.
3. Post-death apparitions.
4. Relics (see also below).
B. Places linked to cultural events.
1. Creation myths.
2. Wars and battles (especially major victories or defeats).
3. Icons and relics.
VI. Conflict and sacred spaces.
A. Different religions venerating the same place in different ways.
B. Sects within a religious tradition venerating a place in different ways.
C. Sacred toi some, undeveloped resource to others.
D. Sacred to some, offensive to others.
VII. All pilgrimages require sacred sites but not all sacred sites generate pilgrimages.
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