RETHINKING THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL MODEL: SHAMANISM, PREHISTORIC ESKIMO ART, AND ANIMIST ONTOLOGY By Feng Qu

https://www.academia.edu/35845132/RETHINKING_THE_NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL_MODEL_SHAMANISM_PREHISTORIC_ESKIMO_ART_AND_ANIMIST_ONTOLOGY?nav_from=7a7ff3e1-e76d-49de-96d9-b3c0a79dd86b [Abstract] The identification of mental visions through prehistoric artwork has been the central focus in the archaeology of shamanism. Vigorous debate surrounding the shamanic trance concerns whether the neuropsychological model is sufficient for interpreting meanings of such art. This chapter provides reviews of how the study of mental visions has become involved in the archaeological debates, how shamanism archaeologists use neuropsychological theory to interpret archaeological remains, and what problems are in this archaeological approach. A case study which focuses on the prehistoric Eskimo art in the Bering Strait region is approached. The assessment of the neuropsychological theory in this case study reveals that such trance model is not reliable to interpret prehistoric art. In contrast, the author suggests that a recent theorizing of animist ontology provides more effective explanations.