WISN presenting ‘Prayer and Resonance in Paleolithic Painted Caves of Southern France – An Indigenous Science Approach’ in Portugal
Archaeoacoustics is the study of how sound and vibration is an intrinsic element of natural and built environments. Sound is in particular an often-overlooked feature of the world’s sacred sites. Since sound and vibration have the power to modify, entrain and transform human consciousness, WISN supports original archaeoacoustic research as an aspect of Indigenous Science.
The earliest of natural environments where our ancestors lived and used sound to transmit cultural wisdom were caves. Often understood as the womb of earth mother, it was the perfect environment for connecting ourselves with the cycles of life. In modern life entering an ancient cave we become our own version of our own creation story.
In the summer of 2016, WISN visited and gathered preliminary archaeoacoustic data on 3 paleolithic caves: Cougnac, Nancy and Pech Merle. Our research encompassed western archaeoacoustic methods including the use of a mobile Impulse Response laboratory and cymascope research, interdisciplinary methods including phenomenological and action research. Most importantly, this work is integrated with indigenous science methods including prayer, embodied presence and the gathering of healers from around the world at sacred sites
We have presented our research at the 37th Annual conference for the Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness in Encinitas, CA in March 2017, and will be presenting again in for the Third International Conference on the Archaeology of Sound in Tomar, Portugal in October 2017.