RLBcB034 Prehistoric Religions in Europe

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Dalibor Papoušek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Jan Reichstäter, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Dalibor Papoušek, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Kristýna Čižmářová
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Wed 18:00–19:40 B2.23, except Mon 17. 11. to Sun 23. 11.
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
RLBcB034/Prez: No timetable has been entered into IS. D. Papoušek, J. Reichstäter
RLBcB034/Kombi: No timetable has been entered into IS. D. Papoušek, J. Reichstäter
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! RLB34 Prehistoric Religions
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 80 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 38/80, only registered: 0/80, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/80
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 7 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course provides basic information about religious cultures of Europe since the Stone age till the Iron age, ending in most areas with the process of Christianization. The special attention is paid mainly to the traditions in the northern half of the continent in the Indo-European and Finno-Ugric language areas. The aim of lectures is to point out the typical features of religiosity of particular historical periods, to demonstrate examples of both continuity and discontinuity in the development of pre-Christian religious cultures, and to inform students about basic archaeological and literary sources, as well as problems connected with their study.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students will be able to:
  • to characterize particular (pre)historic periods in the development of the pre-Christian religions in Europe;
  • demonstrate the basic factual knowledge of the (pre)historic religions of Europe;
  • interpret key literary and archaeological sources connected with the topic;
  • reflect critically the possibilities and limits of the study of (pre)historic religions.
    • Syllabus
    • Introduction.
    • Religions of the Paleolithic Age: The question of the cultural change in the Upper Paleolithic. Paleolithic art and its religious interpretations.
    • Religions of the Neolithic Age: Neolithic revolution and relation between Europe and Middle East. Sanctuaries and cult places. Interpretations of the figural depictions.
    • Religions in Europe between the Chalcolithic and the Iron Age: The question of the cultural change as a result of process of Indo-Europeization of Europe. Religiosity of the Indo-Europeans in historical and comparative perspective.
    • Class discussion I
    • Religions of the Celts: Traditions in the Continental Europe and the British Isles in the perspective of literary and archaeological sources. Religious interpretations of La Tène art. Druids and their doctrine. Mythological literature (The Book of Invasions, The Cattle Raid of Cooley, The Mabinogion).
    • Religions of the Germans: Traditions in the Continental Europe, Scandinavian Peninsula, England and Iceland in the perspective of literary and archaeological sources. Practices of divination and soothsaying, sacred warfare, the role of gender in religion. Mythological literature (Poetic and Prose Edda, Beowulf, Gesta Danorum, Song of the Nibelungs).
    • Religions of the Slavs and Balts: Traditions in Central-Eastern Europe and the Rus in the perspective of literary and archaeological sources. Typology of religious specialists. Local pantheons and the question of supra-regional cult centers (Rani Arkona, Prussian and Lithuanian Romuva). Pagan resistance in the Elbe region, Prussia and Lithuania during the Northern Crusades.
    • Class discussion II
    • Religions of the Sámi and the Baltic Finns: Traditions in the north-eastern Baltic region and the Fennoscandia in the perspective of literary and archaeological sources. Typology of religious specialists and spiritual entities within the cult. Sámi drums and their religious significance. Mythological literature (The Kalevala). Religiosity of the Uralic peoples in a comparative perspective.
    • Religions of the Mari and the Udmurts: Contemporary polytheism in the Middle Volga region between Christianity and Islam. Structures of pantheons and calendar rituals. Modern Pagan sectarianism and Neopaganism.
    • Class discussion III
    • Christianization of Europe and incorporation of pre-Christian elements: The process of Christianization and the causes of Pagan-Christian syncretism. The continuity of pre-Christian traditions in European spiritual cultures of the Middle Ages and the Modern Age.
    • Final test.
    Literature
      recommended literature
    • DUMÉZIL, Georges. Mýty a bohové Indoevropanů. 1. vyd. Praha: Oikoymenh, 1997, 263 s. ISBN 80-86005-25-9. info
    • PUHVEL, Jaan. Srovnávací mythologie. Praha: Lidové noviny, 1997, 395 s. ISBN 80-7106-177-8. info
    • MAREK, Václav. Staré laponské náboženství. Červený Kostelec: Pavel Mervart, 2009, 285 pp. Uralica sv. 2. ISBN 978-80-87378-15-1. info
    • LEWIS-WILLIAMS, J. David. Mysl v jeskyni : vědomí a původ umění. Translated by Alena Faltýsková. Vydání 1. Praha: Academia, 2007, 402 stran. ISBN 9788020015181. info
    • LEWIS-WILLIAMS, J. David and D. G. PEARCE. Uvnitř neolitické mysli : vědomí, vesmír a říše bohů. Translated by Alena Faltýsková. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 2008, 398 s. ISBN 9788020016447. info
    Teaching methods
    Lectures; home readings; class discussions; final written test; colloquial written commentary on a chosen textual source.
    Assessment methods
    Requirements for the colloquium:
  • final written test in the basic knowledge of the prehistoric religions of Europe;
  • colloquial written commentary on a chosen textual source, including its defense.

    The final assessment includes: final test (100 points = 50%, limit 60 points); colloquial commentary (100 points = 50%, limit 60 points); participation in the classes (extra points added to the final test).
    • Language of instruction
    Czech
    Follow-Up Courses
    Study support
    https://elf.phil.muni.cz/23-24/course/view.php?id=7497
    Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
    Study Materials
    The course is taught annually.
    The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2023.
    • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
    • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2025/RLBcB034