Our past is our future: survivals of the ancient cultures. - презентация

1 Our past is our future: survivals of the ancient cultures

2 Today we make sharp distinctions between the real and the unreal. But many years ago, the real relationship between a man and his environment was considered by the ancient people as a wish of some more powerful and mighty beings. When one believed that the stars or the gods controlled human affairs, that storm and drought and good weather were brought by spirits and deities who could be placated by ceremony of sacrifice, that living things could rise spontaneously out of inanimate matter, that even real things were merely poor imitation of some ideal objects existing elsewhere, than the difference between the real and the unreal might have been, in every sense of the word, immaterial. Things existing and things imagined blurred together imperceptibly. Today we make sharp distinctions between the real and the unreal. But many years ago, the real relationship between a man and his environment was considered by the ancient people as a wish of some more powerful and mighty beings. When one believed that the stars or the gods controlled human affairs, that storm and drought and good weather were brought by spirits and deities who could be placated by ceremony of sacrifice, that living things could rise spontaneously out of inanimate matter, that even real things were merely poor imitation of some ideal objects existing elsewhere, than the difference between the real and the unreal might have been, in every sense of the word, immaterial. Things existing and things imagined blurred together imperceptibly.

3 The civilization of the Celts an ancient Indo-European people, like other Iron Age Europeans, maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure an ancient Indo-European people, like other Iron Age Europeans, maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structureIron AgepolytheisticIron Agepolytheistic Paganism is known as the most ancient layer of all human beliefs being the basis for any other world religion (Christianity, Buddhism or Moslem faith) Paganism is known as the most ancient layer of all human beliefs being the basis for any other world religion (Christianity, Buddhism or Moslem faith)

4 Celtic worships centred around the four great days in the year which chronicle Celtic worships centred around the four great days in the year which chronicle the rise, the rise, progress, progress, and decline of the sun, and, therefore, of the fruits of the earth. and decline of the sun, and, therefore, of the fruits of the earth.

5 The calendar of some important Celtic feasts HolidayDate Beltaine (May Day) May 1 Midsummer (St. John's Feast, Ivan Kupala Day) June 24 (July 7) Lughnasadh (Lammas) August 1 Samhain (Halloween) October 31

6 Beltaine is… a time when the Otherworld a time when the Otherworld was seen as particularly close at hand. a ritual of great bonfires a ritual of great bonfires a time of purification and transition, heralding the hope of a good harvest later in the year a time of purification and transition, heralding the hope of a good harvest later in the year the holiday later transformed into a new festivity – Walpurgis Night the holiday later transformed into a new festivity – Walpurgis Night

7 Midsummer practices: Gathering at night mid-summer plants that were believed to have miraculous and healing powers Gathering at night mid-summer plants that were believed to have miraculous and healing powers lighting of the bonfire and the jumping over it lighting of the bonfire and the jumping over it telling fortunes from the movement of the garlands on water telling fortunes from the movement of the garlands on water raising and dancing around a huge maypole raising and dancing around a huge maypole maypole

8 The day of Lughnasadh Thanks to the spirits and deities for the beginning of the harvest season were among the ceremonies of this holiday Thanks to the spirits and deities for the beginning of the harvest season were among the ceremonies of this holiday The god Lugh is a deity of storms and lightning, especially the storms of late summer. His blessing is gentle rain on the day of the festival.

9 Samhain – what is it? Halloween is a descendant of this ancient Celtic fire festival. Halloween is a descendant of this ancient Celtic fire festival. Samhain was one of the most important and sinister calendar festivals of the Celtic year held on November 1. Samhain was one of the most important and sinister calendar festivals of the Celtic year held on November 1. On this day the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to mankind On this day the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to mankind It was the beginning of the ancient Celtic year, and omens for the future might be extorted from dark powers by uncanny rites. It was the beginning of the ancient Celtic year, and omens for the future might be extorted from dark powers by uncanny rites.

10 The present is the living past We are constantly followed by lots of beliefs and imageries of ancient people and instinctively we are the same cavemen attributing natural phenomena with miraculous or even eerie features.

11 The more various the cultural components of civilization are, the steadier it is. Is it really so, what do you think? Is it really so, what do you think?