Bronze Age: The Sun Cult

 

I

Unit: Bronze Age

Theme:The Sun Cult

 

Introduction

The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. 


 

II

Learning Objectives
 
 
  • Understand the importance of trade in historic events
  • Explain the role of the Trundholm Sun Chariot in the artistic development of the Bronze Age
  • Gain an awareness of the metaphors that can inform the myth
  • Experience the reconstruction of a Bronze Age dance in the subjunctive



III

Main Lesson


1

 


After Watching the documentary, answer the following discussion questions:

Questions

1. One could argue that trade is the most significant human activity that moves history. What is the importance of the discovery of bronze for trade in Eurasia? (00:00 - 4:03)

2. Why is Scandinavia an important site for the study of the Bronze Age? (4:05 - 5:54)

3. What is the main difference between the Basque languages and the rest of the European languages during this particular historic period. (5:55 - 13:10)

4. What is the importance of burial mounds, horses and chariots during the Bronze Age?  (13:11 - 13:34)

5. Why is the archeological Yamnaya culture relevant? (13:35 - 23:25)

6. How does the Yamnaya culture compare to the Bersheva Valley Culture (Copper Age) [min. 25:00 of Journey to the Copper Age video] and the Natufian Culture (Neolithic) [min. 31:15 of The Neolithic Revolution video] already studied?

7. What does the artists' work say about the maritime culture of the Bronze Age in the Scandinavian region? (23:26- 26:29)

 

8. After minute 27:00, the narrator refers to the artistic development of the Bronze age materialized in the Trundholm Sun Chariot. Why is this symbolic art piece important? (27:00 - 31:25)

9. What metaphors related to the believes of the people from the Bronze Age could be drawn? (31:26 - 36:24)


2


METAPHORS, IMAGERY & IDEAS

1. trundholm sun chariot

2. two horses, each pulling a representation of the sun 

3. spoked wheels

4. horse-drawn sun on the blue fields of heaven

5. "The mighty horse skin facts drawing the light of day each morning across the world of man ever pursued by the great wolf Fenrir who seeks to swallow the sun and usher in Ragnarok the end of days." Snorri Sturluson


Sturluson, S. (2010). Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway. University of Texas Press

6. The sun as representative of the heavenly God of the cattle breeders.

7. Native Earth Goddess of agriculture

8. Sun cult and rituals

 

3

The Sun Cult

 

Astronomy and Sun Cult in the Swedish Bronze Age

 

"A central image is the so-called “Dancer”. He, or more probably she, is facing the SE with her symmetry axis in 135˚. This implies that she is waiting for the Sun to rise at the Winter solstice, and the onset of the days to become longer and brighter. On the same site, there are also cut 69 feet and 11 pairs of feet. The majority of those (60 out of 80 or 75%) are pointing to the SE; i.e. the sunrise at Winter solstice. There are also 19 pairs of “shoes” and 45 single “shoes”, 61 of which are pointing to the SE (i.e. 95.3%). This seems to provide clear indication that the Winter solstice played a central role in the life of Bronze Age people in SE Sweden. This, in its turn, confirms the importance the Sun played during the Bronze Age.

Other objects in the rock-carving have solar alignments, too. There are 20 ships. All of those are pointing to the SW; i.e. the sunset at Winter solstice. A serpent is aligned to the NW; i.e. the sunrise at Summer solstice (15% of the feet have the same alignment).

The vertical image of a small boat with 4 cup-marks is aligned in NW-SE, just as the huge monument of Ales Stones is.

 

source: https://www.crystalinks.com/AlesStones.html

 


IV

 A Note to Remember

The Yamnaya migration is one of the most straightforward examples we find in the distant human past. They were a highly mobile steppe culture of pastoral nomads relying heavily on cattle (dairy farming).

 

V


 EXAMPLES

 

 link:  https://exarc.net/issue-2018-1/int/forgotten-movement-reconstruction-prehistoric-dances
 

Blessing Community Rite  / Chalcolithic Age

 This is a community seeking blessing from the natural forces at the time of the equinox, on the occasion of changes in the sky and the construction of a new house in the village. It is performed by a shaman and seven girls.

Dance Elements

Spinning and trance

Hand gestures

Adorant position


Reflection of a characteristic motif 

 Stamping

 Rhythmic background

The Chalcolithic or Copper Age is the transitional period between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. It is taken to begin around the mid-5th millennium BC, and ends with the beginning of the Bronze Age proper, in the late 4th to 3rd millennium BC, depending on the region.
 ================

Initiation Rite / Bronze Age


This is an initiation rite of a young girl who dances to celebrate her reaching puberty and thus becoming eligible for marriage. She first dances alone and then three young men join her.

Dance Elements

 Grooming and the Apotropaic Circle

Bird motif

Dancing in front of and in pair with the opposite sex 


 Lively movements with focus on the hips

 

Apotropaic: A type of protective magic intended to turn away harm or evil influences, as in deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye.

 

 VI

 

ACTIVITY


Based on the Sun Cult derived from the Bronze Age (min 33:29), (in which priests wear elaborate head dresses), the painted scene depicted and the metaphors, imagery and ideas you were able to gather: 

a) create first a myth, (in the subjunctive mood), that helps you to better understand the worldview of Bronze Age peoples from the Scandinavian region. 

b) Using the myth, along with the ritual of the dancer described above in item # 8, create a ritual that responds to the Sun cult of the Bronze Age among the Scandinavian people. SEE THE EXAMPLES BELLOW.


VII
Journaling
 

VIII

Glossary

 

IX

Sources 

 

 

 X

Students' Work


 


 

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