Exploring the Roots of Religion

Course Overview

Learn the sacred secrets behind Stonehenge, Machu Picchu, the Acropolis, and other mysterious ancient sites from a practicing archaeologist.

Course Description

The dynamic force of religious belief is responsible for some of the world’s most popular and ancient locales. With these 36 riveting lectures, you can dig through the earth and learn how sacred buildings, complexes, tomb structures, artwork, and more have provided us with unparalleled knowledge about early spiritual experiences around the world. Professor John Hale of the University of Louisville gives you a comprehensive look at specific religious archaeological sites around the world – inside caves and crypts, through vast deserts and ancient cities, from Polynesia to Mexico to the American Midwest.

By the final lap of your international journey, you’ll have developed a new vision of religion and its crucial role in ancient history. You’ll become more attuned to spirituality’s universal elements and its unique characteristics. And you’ll realize just how much credit religion deserves for remarkable sites that continue to captivate us.

Video Lectures

1. The Roots of Religious Experience (32 min)

• Introductory lecture laying the groundwork for archaeological adventures ahead.

1. Neanderthal Burials at Shanidar (31 min)

• Visit the oldest religious site we can vividly reconstruct: Shanidar Cave.

1. Hunting Magic in Sacred Caves (30 min)

• Explore prehistoric caves such as Lascaux and their mysterious imagery.

1. Myths of the Shaman (30 min)

• Discover ancient shamanistic practices and beliefs of the San people.

1. Realm of the Mother Goddess (31 min)

• Investigate the figure of the Mother Goddess in a 9,000-year-old Neolithic community.

1. Mysteries of the Megaliths (31 min)

• Travel to France’s extraordinary collection of megalithic monuments.

1. Towers and Tombs of Sumeria (31 min)

• Examine burial customs at the site of the ancient biblical city of Ur.

1. Tomb of the First Emperor of China (30 min)

• Explore Qin Shihuangdi’s immense tomb protected by terra cotta figures.

1. Feasting with the Dead at Petra (30 min)

• Detailed tour of tombs and mausoleums of ordinary families in Petra.

1. Druid Sacrifice at Lindow Moss? (31 min)

• Discover the story behind the preserved body of Lindow Man.

1. Honoring Ancestors in Ancient Ohio (30 min)

• Visit Mound City and learn about ceremonial practices of the Hopewell cult.

1. A Viking Queen Sails to Eternity (30 min)

• Explore the remains of a royal Viking burial ship in Norway.

1. Dancing with Bulls at Knossos (31 min)

• Understand the spiritual significance of the fresco of bulls at Knossos.

1. Oracle Bones in Ancient China (30 min)

• Study divination rituals using oracle bones in Bronze-Age China.

1. Sun and Sexuality in Early Scandinavia (30 min)

• Investigate the role of sexuality in ancient Scandinavian religious practices.

1. Apollo Speaks at Klaros (31 min)

• Discover the details of ancient divination ceremonies at Klaros.

1. Chalice of Blood in Ancient Peru (30 min)

• Explore human sacrifice among the Moche people of South America.

1. Decoding Rituals at Palenque (31 min)

• Discuss intriguing Mayan rituals, including sacred ball games.

1. Temple of the Goddess on Malta (30 min)

• Uncover the origins of the concept of godhood through a Maltese monument.

1. The Aten-Monotheism in Egypt (30 min)

• Examine Pharaoh Akhenaten’s revolution in the worship of Aten.

1. Deities of the Acropolis (32 min)

• Tour the Athenian Acropolis and its roster of deities.

1. Gods and Pyramids at Teotihuacan (31 min)

• Gain insights into the ancient Mexican “City of Gods.”

1. Sacred City on the Mississippi (30 min)

• Climb “Monk’s Mound” in Cahokia and explore its worship practices.

1. Sun and Shadow at Machu Picchu (30 min)

• Learn about the importance of religion in Inca society.

1. Celestial Gateway at Giza (31 min)

• Investigate the religious beliefs that inspired the Great Pyramids.

1. Cosmic Hub at Stonehenge (30 min)

• Explore the interpretations surrounding the sacred landscape of Stonehenge.

1. Desert Lines at Nazca (30 min)

• Discover the meanings behind the gigantic Nazca Lines.

1. Skywatchers at Chaco Canyon (30 min)

• Investigate the sacred meeting places in an ancient Native American complex.

1. Mountain of the Gods at Angkor (30 min)

• Examine Angkor Wat’s religious symbolism and its transformation.

1. The Stone Heads of Easter Island (30 min)

• Study the creation and purpose of the giant stone heads.

1. Tending Zoroaster’s Sacred Fire in Iran (30 min)

• Explore Zoroastrianism and archaeological findings in Adur Gushnasp.

1. Writing the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran (30 min)

• Delve into the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and their insights.

1. Taking Religions Underground at Rome (31 min)

• Explore catacombs that illustrate early Christianity’s rise over competing faiths.

1. Forging Iron at Jenne-jeno on the Niger (30 min)

• Discover the ancient city where a blacksmithing cult once flourished.

1. Carving Monasteries at Ajanta in India (31 min)

• Walk through an ancient Buddhist monastery carved into the hills.

1. Faiths Lost and Found (33 min)

• Conclude by exploring common threads and the role of archaeology in understanding religion.