Ritual, Play and Belief, in Evolution and Early Human Societies

Colin Renfrew, Iain Morley, Michael Boyd

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN:
  9781107143562
• eBook ISBN:
  9781108548618
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: Social Sciences

The origins of religion and ritual in humans have been the focus of centuries of thought in archaeology, anthropology, theology, evolutionary psychology and more. Play and ritual have many aspects in common, and ritual is a key component of the early cult practices that underlie the religious systems of the first complex societies in all parts of the world. This book examines the formative cults and the roots of religious practice from the earliest times until the development of early religion in the Near East, in China, in Peru, in Mesoamerica and beyond. Here, leading prehistorians and other specialists bring a fresh approach to the early practices that underlie the faiths and religions of the world. They demonstrate the profound role of play ritual and belief systems and offer powerful new insights into the emergence of early civilization.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title
• Title page
• Copyright information
• Dedication
• Table of contents
• Notes on the contributors
• Acknowledgements
• 1 Introducing Ritual, Play and Belief, in Evolution and Early Human Societies
• 2 Introduction: Play as the Precursor of Ritual in Early Human Societies
• Part I Play and Ritual: Forms, Foundations and Evolution in Animals and Humans
• Part II Playing with Belief and Performance in Ancient Societies
• Part III The Ritual in the Game, the Game in the Ritual
• Part IV From Play to Faith? Discussion
• Index