Physical and metaphysical zones of transition : comparative themes in Hittite and Greek Karst landscapes in the Late Bronze and Early Iron ages
Hay, Anne Persida
While there is increasing interest in the effect of landscape on ancient imagination, less
attention has been paid to the impact of restless karst hydrology on ancient beliefs. By
identifying shared themes, this study compares and contrasts the way Hittites and
Aegean people in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages reshaped peripheral karst
landscapes into physical and imagined transitional zones.
Karst geology underpins much of the Aegean and Anatolian landscape, allowing
subterranean zones to be visible and accessible above ground via caves, springs, sinking
streams, sinkholes and other unusual natural formations. In both cultures, certain
dynamic landscapes were considered to be sacred porous points where deities, daemons,
heroes and mortals could transit between cosmic realms. Evidence suggests that Hittites
and Aegean people interpreted dramatic karst landscapes as liminal thresholds and
spaces situated between the world of humans and the world of deities.
Part One investigates physical zones of transition via the karst ecosystems of rural
sanctuaries. Part Two considers the creative interpretation in myth and iconography of
karst phenomena into metaphysical zones of transition. The examples reveal the way in
which Hittites and Aegean people built their concept of the sacred on the extraordinary
characteristics of karst geology. Numinous karst landscapes provided validity and a
familiar reference point for the creation of imagined worlds where mortal and divine
could connect.; Vandag is daar toenemende belangstelling in die effek van die landskap op die
verbeelding van die mensdom in die oudheid - maar minder aandag word bestee aan die
impak van die rustelose karst landskap op die mens se gelowigheid in die oudheid. Deur
die identifisering van sekere gemene temas, vergelyk hierdie verhandeling die manier
waarop die Hetiete en die Egeïese volkere in die Laat Brons- en vroeë Ystertydperke die
omliggende karstlandskap herskep het in fisiese en denkbeeldige oorgangszones.
Die Egeïese en Anatoliese landskap bestaan grotendeels uit karst geologie, met tot
gevolg dat ondergrondse zones bo die grond sigbaar en toeganklik is in die vorm van
grotte, bronne, sinkgate en ander uitsonderlike natuurlike formasies. In beide
bogenoemde kulture is sekere landskapstonele beskou as heilige en poreuse punte waar
gode, demone, helde en sterwelinge tussen die kosmiese zones kon beweeg. Die
getuienis van die tyd suggereer dat die Hetiete en die Egeïese volkere die dramatiese
karst landskappe as grense of drempels tussen hulle wêreld en dié van die gode beskou
het.
Deel Een ondersoek die fisiese oorgangszones deur te kyk na die karst ecostelsels
waarin plattelandse heiligdomme hulle bevind het. Deel Twee beskou die kreatiewe
gebruik van karst verskynsels as voorstellings van metafisiese oorgangszones in die
gekrewe bronne en ikonografie. Die geselekteerde voorbeelde dui aan die manier
waarop die Hetiete en Egeïese volke hulle konsepte van heiligdom gebaseer het op die
buitengewone verskynsels van karst geologie. Numineuse karst landskappe het hulle
idees gestaaf en ‘n bekende verwysingspunt uitgemaak waar die menslike en die
goddelike met mekaar in kontak kon kom.; Ngenkathi intshisekelo ekhulayo yethonya lokwakheka komhlaba emcabangweni
wasendulo, kunakwe kancane umthelela we-karst hydrology engenazinkolelo
ezinkolelweni zasendulo. Ngokukhomba izingqikithi okwabelwana ngazo, lo mqondo
uqhathanisa futhi uqhathanise indlela amaHeti nabantu base-Aegean kweLate Bronze
kanye ne-Early Iron Ages abuye abuye abumbe kabusha imigwaqo ye-karst yomngcele
ibe yizingxenye zesikhashana zomzimba nezicatshangwe.
I-Karst geology isekela kakhulu indawo yezwe i-Aegean ne-Anatolian evumela ukuthi
izindawo ezingaphansi komhlaba zibonakale futhi zifinyeleleke ngaphezu komhlaba
ngemigede, iziphethu, imifudlana ecwilayo, imigodi yokushona nokunye ukwakheka
okungokwemvelo okungajwayelekile. Kuwo womabili amasiko izindawo ezithile
eziguqukayo zazithathwa njengezindawo ezingcwele zokungena lapho onkulunkulu,
amademoni, amaqhawe nabantu abafayo bengadlula phakathi kwezindawo zomhlaba.
Ubufakazi bukhombisa ukuthi amaHeti nabantu base-Aegean bahumusha imidwebo
emangazayo yekarst njengemikhawulo yemikhawulo nezikhala eziphakathi komhlaba
wabantu nezwe lonkulunkulu.
Ingxenye yokuqala iphenya izindawo eziguqukayo zomzimba ngokusebenzisa imvelo
ye-karst yezindawo ezingcwele zasemakhaya. Ingxenye Yesibili ibheka ukutolikwa
kokudala kunganekwane nakwizithonjana zezinto ze-karst kube izingxenye
eziguqukayo zenguquko. Izibonelo ziveza indlela abantu abangamaHeti nabantu base-
Aegean abawakha ngayo umqondo wabo ongcwele ngezimpawu ezingavamile ze-karst
geology. Amathafa amahle we-karst ahlinzeka ngokusebenza kanye nephuzu
elijwayelekile lesethenjwa lokwakhiwa kwamazwe acatshangelwe lapho abantu abafayo
nabaphezulu bangaxhuma khona.
English, Afrikaans and Zulu summaries
↧