VL2 Beginnings: Proto and Vedic Goddesses

Question 1

Western interpretations of Indian goddesses

Answer 1

• Goddesses as manifestations of the so-called “primordial mother”
• “archetype theory” of C. G. Jung (1875-1961) * later: Heinrich Zimmer (1890-1943)
  But:
  => Indian goddesses are just as differentiated as the gods, their male counterparts.

Question 2

Matriarchy

Answer 2

• Johann Jakob Bachofen (1815-1887) “Das Mutterrecht” (1861)
  => precursor to “patriarchy”
• Goddesses = Mother Goddesses
  => “archaic religion”, “primitive stage of religion”

Question 3

“Archaic” religion in India

Answer 3

• Goddess cults as “pre-Aryan” / non-Vedic => Indian “natives”
  => Indus Valley Civilisation

Question 4

Chronology of the key religious traditions, up to the turn of the second millennium CE

Answer 4

• Indus Civilisation (ca. 2600–1750 BCE)
• VedicPeriod ca.1750–400BCE
  Vedic period: 1500–1000 BCE
  Brāhmaṇa exegesis and Upaniṣads:
  ca. 1100–500 BCE
• Emergence of the Śramanic religions: ca. 5th century BCE
  Jainism: remains minority religion till today Buddhism: pan-Asiatic religion,
  mostly disappeared from India between
  13th and 19th century revival.
• Emergence of Brahmanical “Hinduism”:
  ca. 4th century BCE–early centuries CE.
• Classical “Hinduism”: 300–ca 1300 CEProminently Śaivism and Vaiṣṇavism, dominant to this day

Question 5

Indus Valley Civilisation

Answer 5

• Along with Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt and early Chinese civilisation, the Indus Valley civilisation ranks as one of the earliest civilisations in history.
• Bronze Age (ca. 3000 BC) => peak: 2600-1750 BC.
• 20th century: Discovery and excavations
  => Urban culture, Transregional trade, Seals
• Archeological excavations of Urban edifices, plumbing

Question 6

Mysteries of Harappan civilization

Answer 6

Religion, organization, language, collapse how and why? Mostly speculation

Question 7

Historical witnesses

Answer 7

Writing arrives relatively late in India ca 300 bce

• But many mother varied goddesses found, made of terracotta, ie in national museum in New Delhi , VaA Museum London
• similar goddesses found in Mediterranean areas

Question 8

statues of mother goddesses

Answer 8

• Very elaborate head dresses and hats, sometimes no elaborate sexual attributes
• Basically only two types of artefacts:
  
  • seals and terracotta figures (mainly female figures)
• Idea of a primitive mother goddess ‘Śākti‘, following agricultural matriarchal societies
• Vedic gods ie Agni, Indra (male)