Old stones, new rites: contemporary Pagan interactions with the Medway Megaliths
The Medway Megaliths, a series of seven archaeological monuments located in Kent, South-eastern England, are today viewed as "sacred sites" by practitioners of various contemporary Pagan religions, including Druidry, Heathenry, and Wicca. Examining how these Pagans understand the Megaliths...
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| Tipo di documento: | Elettronico Articolo |
| Lingua: | Inglese |
| Verificare la disponibilità: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Caricamento...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Pubblicazione: |
[2016]
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| In: |
Material religion
Anno: 2016, Volume: 12, Fascicolo: 3, Pagine: 346-372 |
| (sequenze di) soggetti normati: | B
Medway
/ Megalite
/ Neopaganesimo
/ Rito
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| Notazioni IxTheo: | AG Vita religiosa AZ Nuove religioni |
| Altre parole chiave: | B
Archaeology
B sacred site B megaliths B Odinism B Contemporary Paganism B Druidry B heritage management |
| Accesso online: |
Volltext (Publisher) |
| Riepilogo: | The Medway Megaliths, a series of seven archaeological monuments located in Kent, South-eastern England, are today viewed as "sacred sites" by practitioners of various contemporary Pagan religions, including Druidry, Heathenry, and Wicca. Examining how these Pagans understand the Megaliths as both ancestral spaces and sources of "earth energies", this paper then looks at the forms of religious expression that are carried out there, and in doing so examines how this example fits within established understandings of "sacred spaces" in religious studies scholarship. From there it explores how these Pagans express a sense of guardianship over the Megaliths, and how they have interacted with commercial developers, heritage managers, and archaeologists. It thus deals with issues surrounding the contested nature of sacred space and the conflict that can arise when both sacred and secular interpretations of a site clash, before highlighting how areas of common interest have been successfully established between different interest groups, to the benefit of the archaeological sites themselves. In providing a regional case study of how Pagans interact with archaeological monuments, this article hopes to offer useful perspectives for those involved in Pagan studies, public archaeology, and studies into the materiality of religion. |
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| Descrizione fisica: | Illustrationen |
| ISSN: | 1751-8342 |
| Comprende: | Enthalten in: Material religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/17432200.2016.1192152 |
