Looking For a Trace of Shamanism, in the Rock Art of Maros-Pangkep, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Kapata Arkeologi July 30, 2018 Irsyad Leihitu, R. C. E. Permana 4 citations
Rock art is a worldwide archaeological phenomenon, and this article examines Indonesian rock art in the Maros-Pangkep region of South Sulawesi. Using David Lewis-Williams and David S. Whitley's neuropsychological theory, which interprets certain motifs as stages or metaphors of Altered State of Consciousness (ASC) linked to shamanism, the study tests whether this theory applies to the Maros-Pangkep rock art. Through formal analogy and comparative study of selected motifs with rock art from Africa, Siberia, and the Americas, the results indicate that the ASC theory can be applied to Indonesian rock art and suggest some motifs in the Maros-Pangkep region show indications of shamanism.