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 , neighboring_municipalities = Eggersriet, Gaiserwald, Gossau, Herisau (AR), Mörschwil, Speicher (AR), Stein (AR), Teufen (AR), Untereggen, Wittenbach , twintowns = Liberec (Czech Republic) , website = ...

, Switzerland). Derungs describes the field as an interdisciplinary approach to landscape combining

archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsca ...

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

and

mythology Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...

. Derungs interprets landscape features in terms of "

totemism A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no 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 w ...

, shamanism and matriarchal mythology", claiming that his approach qualifies as neither

esotericism Western esotericism, also known as esotericism, esoterism, and sometimes the Western mystery tradition, is a term scholars use to categorise a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas ...

nor as positivism but as a "sound alternative" to both. His interpretations are strongly influenced by the hypothesis of a matriarchal 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 to h ...

Neolithic Europe The European Neolithic is the period when Neolithic (New Stone Age) technology was present in Europe, roughly between 7000 BCE (the approximate time of the first farming societies in Greece) and c.2000–1700 BCE (the beginning of the Bronze Ag ...

, and he associates megalithic monuments and elements of traditional fairy tales 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 Kocku von Stuckrad (born 6 April 1966) is a German scholar of religious studies. He specialises in the European history of religion and the academic study of Western esotericism. Biography Kocku von Stuckrad was born in Kpando, Ghana on 6 Apri ...

, ''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 folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...

Mythography Matriarchy Anthropology of religion Feminist spirituality Feminism and society

Bibliography

See also

References

External links