The Evolutionary Logic of Sacred Land

Diverse societies across time and space have viewed the land upon which they reside as sacred. In some cultures rich narratives describe how sacred lands were first created by the gods, or were given to a people by the gods. Cosmogonies that conceive of homelands as the center of the universe imbue many lands with holiness, vitality, and primacy. Elaborate rituals demarcate sacred lands, distinguishing them from the profane realms that lie across their borders, and festivals often commemorate the unification of a people with their land. Symbolic representations, such as flags and ‘raising the cross’ in newly conquered lands, motivate and emotionally bind people to each other and their land...<READ MORE>