Landscape mythology and anthropology of landscape (''Landschaftsmythologie'', ''Landschaftsethnologie'') are terms for a field of study advocated since about 1990 by Kurt Derungs (born 1962 in St. Gallen, Switzerland). Derungs describes the field as an interdisciplinary approach to

landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or human-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes th ...

combining

archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

ethnology Ethnology (from the , meaning 'nation') is an academic field and discipline that compares and analyzes the characteristics of different peoples and the relationships between them (compare cultural, social, or sociocultural anthropology). Sci ...

and

mythology Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

. Derungs interprets landscape features in terms of "

totemism A totem (from or ''doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While the word ''totem'' itself is an ...

shamanism Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into ...

and

matriarchal Matriarchy is a social system in which positions of power and privilege are held by women. In a broader sense it can also extend to moral authority, social privilege, and control of property. While those definitions apply in general English, ...

mythology", claiming that his approach qualifies as neither

esotericism Esotericism may refer to: * Eastern esotericism, a broad range of religious beliefs and practices originating from the Eastern world, characterized by esoteric, secretive, or occult elements * Western esotericism, a wide range of loosely related id ...

nor as

positivism Positivism is a philosophical school that holds that all genuine knowledge is either true by definition or positivemeaning '' a posteriori'' facts derived by reason and logic from sensory experience.John J. Macionis, Linda M. Gerber, ''Soci ...

but as a "sound alternative" to both. His interpretations are strongly influenced by the hypothesis of a

structure of society and a cult of the

Great Goddess Great Goddess is the concept of an almighty goddess or mother goddess, or a matriarchal religion. Apart from various specific figures called this from various cultures, the Great Goddess hypothesis, is a postulated fertility goddess supposed ...

Neolithic Europe The European Neolithic is the period from the arrival of Neolithic (New Stone Age) technology and the associated population of Early European Farmers in Europe, (the approximate time of the first farming societies in Greece) until –1700 BC (t ...

, and he associates

megalithic A megalith is a large Rock (geology), stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. More than 35,000 megalithic structures have been identified across Europe, ranging ...

monuments and elements of traditional

fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful bei ...

s with these ideas. Since 1994, Derungs manages the ''edition amalia'' publishing house, where his books appear besides publications on related topics (matriarchy, Great Goddess) by other authors. Derungs is popular in German Neopagan circles, but has received little attention in academic literature.Derungs (1996) is mentioned favourably as forwarding a feminist critique of C. G. Jung's depiction of femininity in Kocku von Stuckrad, ''Constructing Femininity—the Lilith Case'', LAUD paper Universität Essen, Linguistic Agency: Series A; 474.

Bibliography

* ''AMALIA oder Der Vogel der Wahrheit. Mythen und Märchen aus Rätien im Kulturvergleich.'' Bündner Monatsblatt Verlag Desertina, 1994, * ''Geheimnisvolles Basel. Sakrale Stätten im Dreiland.'' Edition Amalia, 2004 (1st ed. 1999), * ''Geheimnisvolles Zürich. Sakrale Stätten am Zürichsee.'' Edition Amalia, 2004, * ''Keltische Frauen und Göttinnen. Matriarchale Spuren bei Kelten, Pikten und Schotten.'' Edition Amalia, 1995 * ''Kultplatz Zuoz/ Engadin. Die Seele einer alpinen Landschaft. Geheimnisvolles Graubünden.'' Edition Amalia, 2001, * ''Landschaften der Göttin. Avebury, Silbury, Lenzburg, Sion. Kultplätze der Grossen Göttin in Europa.'' Edition Amalia, 2000, * ''Magisch Reisen Bern. Sagenhaftes Wandern zu Kultsteinen vom Jura bis zum Berner Oberland.'' Edition Amalia, 2003, * ''Matriarchate als herrschaftsfreie Gesellschaften.'' Edition Amalia, 1997, * ''Mythen und Kultplätze im Drei-Seen-Land.'' Edition Amalia, 2002, * ''Mythologische Landschaft Deutschland.'' Edition Amalia, 1999 * ''Mythologische Landschaft Schweiz.'' Edition Amalia, 1997, * ''Der psychologische Mythos. Frauen, Märchen und Sexismus. Manipulation und Indokrination durch populärpsychologische Märcheninterpretation: Freud, Jung & Co.'' Edition Amalia, 1996, * ''Quellen Kulte Zauberberge. Landschaftsmythologie der Ostschweiz und Vorarlbergs.'' Edition Amalia, 2005, * ''Schwarze Madonna im Märchen. Mythen und Märchen von der Schwarzen Frau.'' Edition Amalia, 1998, * ''Struktur des Zaubermärchens. Eine fundierte Darstellung der historischen Märchenforschung und Mythologie. Band I und II.'' Paul Haupt, Bern * ''Die ursprünglichen Märchen der Brüder Grimm.'' Edition Amalia, 1999, * ''Magische Stätten der Heilkraft.Marienorte mythologisch neu entdeckt. Quellen, Steine, Bäume und Pflanzen.'' Edition Amalia, 2006,

References

External links

* * http://derungs.org * http://amalia.ch/ - Edition Amalia * http://maerchenlexikon.de {{DEFAULTSORT:Landscape Mythology

Mythology Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

Mythography Matriarchy Anthropology of religion Feminist spirituality Feminism and society

Bibliography

See also

References

External links