Wikipedia Trails: Wizards to Stonehenge

Magic (paranormal):
This article was initially Wizards, but it turned into Magic since that is the key to every paranormal article in Wikipedia. I picked wizard/magic because despite the lack of magic in some of the readings from Week 14, there was a lot of mentions in Week 13 which is the week I read Russian fairytales. I read through the article and I am surprised, yet not, that there is still a debate on the definition of what magic actually is: there is an intellectualist approach and a functionalist approach. I really was interested in the development of magic in the ancient and medieval world which is where the next link is headed.

Sympathetic magic:
I curious what entailed sympathetic magic and I am honestly surprised on what I found. "Effigies, fetishes or poppets to affect the environment of people, or the people." These can be found in examples like voodoo dolls, who have strands of hair of a person and the belief that whatever happens to the dolls will likely happen to the individual whose hair is on the doll. There are theories from the cave paintings that this could be tied to prehistory. 

Archaeology: 
The study of human prehistory and history, mainly prehistoric societies. The first excavations include Stonehenge and mainly in Southern England, Pompeii and Herculaneum. I have always been fascinated by archaeology, and learning about history. The film The Mummy is actually responsible for my interest in it and I love to watch documentaries on archaeology. 

Stonehenge: 
The purpose of Stonehenge is a mystery and origin is still disputed today. Theories and conspiracies are abundant around Stonehenge.  However, burial is a permanent topic concerning Stonehenge. Theories suggest Stonehenge was a pivotal place for the community who built Stonehenge because they lived there over a period of several millennia. Stonehenge has inspired culture and puzzled the scientific world; and I find that amazing. 

(Stonehenge Closeup from WikiMedia Commons.)

Wikipedia Trails: from Lilith to Xochiquetzal

I read the Adam and Eve Unit for Week two and three. I was aware of Lilith before this class through a television show called Supernatural. Reading the Adam and Eve units that mentioned Lilith and actual jewish mythologies of her were really interesting and eye-opening.  Many Christians are not aware of Lilith, so this is entertaining and satisfying for me. 

The next link was Samael. Lilith's page mentioned after she and this archangel coupled, she refused to go back the the Garden of Eden. Now, Samael is known by many names and none of them good: Angel of Death, Venom of God, Poison of God, or Blindness of God. He is regarded as both good and evil.

Samael was rumored to have mated with angels of sacred prostitution with the exception of Lilith. I found this interesting because sex is a very taboo thing in the Bible. It has many names: temple prostitution, cult prostitution or religious prostitution. It is a sexual ritual performing intercourse or other sexual activities in the content of religious worship. There are any cultures which influence Western culture on the list of ancient societies that partook in 'sacred sex:' Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome and the Hebrew Bible.

Finally, going through the places that witnessed sacred prostitution I found a text on Xochiquetzal. In Aztec mythology, Xochiquetzal is a goddess associated with fertility, beauty and female sexual power. She also served as a protector for young mothers. I chose this link because I was interested in South American mythology; it was also the first mention of a society not near the Europe or Africa. 

(Xochiquetzal Codex Fejérváry-Mayer 29-1 from Wikimedia Commons.)