Snakemas
An article [Link] in the National Geographic feed this morning describes the discovery by U Oslo researchers of a religious site in a cave in modern day Botswana.[Link] The site shows evidence of use for religious activities dating back approximately 70 KYA. The religious nature of the site is demonstrated by the presence of a snake idol.
The ancient nature of snake cults was frequently a part of the writing of Robert E. Howard, particularly in his Conan the Cimmerian stories.[Link] The cult (or cults) was (were) frequently cast as villainous, evil, and wrong, possibly influenced by a mixture of dramatic license and Howard’s own views toward superstition.
Nonetheless, the existence of the site demonstrates the fundamental aspect of religion and mysticism as components of the fundamental human organization although it is not yet clear whether organizational differentiation had occurred at this point in human development. The extremely early date, antedating the next earliest by approximately 30 KY also gives perspective to the relative recentness of contemporary major religions, most of which are of order 2-4 KY old.
Additionally, several contemporary religions have snake aspects, for example in the form of Eden myths and rituals involving the handling of snakes, indicating an influence on them by snake cults, if not the actual evolution or incorporation of ritual from such.
In a related article from a few days ago, [Link] researchers from several European Union organizations have conducted research that indicates that the deleterious effects of alcoholism may be reversed by abstinence (from alcohol.) As is commonly known, excessive use of alcohol can cause hallucinations and visions (also caused by various human parasites) such as little green/grey men, pink pachyderms, and snakes. While several religions incorporate alcohol in their rituals, in various aspects, it is unclear if a causal relationship exists. These research results are encouraging in they indicate proper medical treatment may reverse hallucinatory epiphany.
