Michаel Freikman "In Their Image and Likeness: Genesis of the Urban Pantheons in the Middle East"

Michael Freikman is a doctor of archeology (Jewish University in Jerusalem). His thesis was on the megalithic architecture of the Middle East. The leader and participant of a number of archaeological sites in Israel, primarily in Khirbet Kayafa and Rujum El-Hiri. He conducts courses of archeology as an invited professor at Moscow State University and St. Petersburg State University, and also teaches at the Institute of Archeology of the Jewish University in Jerusalem.

At the seminar "Boundaries of History" Mikhail made a presentation "In their image and likeness: the emergence of city pantheons in the Middle East," the researcher works at the junction of several sciences of archeology, anthropology and neuropsychology. Speaking of archaeological finds such as "Paleolithic Venus", rock-painting and primitive dwellings, the researcher concludes that the irrationality of the human is in the art objects.

Mikhail introduced the audience to the brief history of the archeology development itself, introduced the main schools and directions. The speaker impugned the thesis that the images we see in the rock-painting and ceramic sculptures are part of the cult and treated like divine symbols. He acquainted us with modern theories dealing with the religious cult of an ancient human, differently acquainted with the cult of fertility.

The researcher emphasizes questions about the altered state of human consciousness, on primitive mysticism, trance and shamanism. On the example of finds in several caves, Michael suggested how a primitive human could imagine other worlds in a state of trance.

Having presented the new scientific theories to the listeners, Michael Freikman suggested that within the next fifteen years the archeology of the cult will change substantially.

Report: Maria Gulakova