The origin and early forms of religion
Answers are for parents and teachers.
1
Define animism, totemism, fetishism and shamanism in a table and give one example for each.
Animism – spirit in everything (river spirit); totemism – kinship of clan and animal (wolf); fetishism – power attributed to an object (amulet); shamanism – one who communicates with spirits (shaman).
2
Write the main difference between the theological and materialist approaches in 2–3 sentences, treating both neutrally.
The theological approach links the origin of religion to God; the materialist approach explains it as a product of human thought and social development.
3
Write three animals or trees revered in ancient Central Asia and their symbolic meaning.
For example: wolf – symbol of protection and strength among Turkic tribes; horse – a prized animal; plane tree – a majestic, revered tree.
4
Why should one be careful about practices such as fortune-telling and sorcery? Give two reasons.
First, they have no scientific basis; second, they are sometimes used to deceive people and extract money.
5
Why is the Teshiktosh find important, yet why must one be cautious in drawing conclusions?
It is one of the oldest burial traces in present-day Uzbekistan, but there is no direct written evidence about the beliefs of that time.