Observations placeholder
Mircea Eliade - On prehistoric shamanic flight
Identifier
007107
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
So prevalent is the flight of the shaman on birds that the sign of the shaman in many cultures is the bird on the stick.
A description of the experience
Mircea Eliade – Shamanism Archaic techniques of ecstasy
The bird perched on a stick is a frequent symbol in shamanic circles. It is found for example on the tombs of the Yakut shamans. A Hungarian taitos ‘had a stick or post before his hut and perched on the stick was a bird. He sent the bird wherever he would have to go’.
The bird perched on a post is already found in the celebrated relief at Lascaux (bird headed man) in which Horst Kirchner has seen a representation of a shamanic trance. However this may be, it is certain that the motif ‘bird perched on a post’ is extremely archaic
Sources G Roheim – Hungarian Shamanism
 |
Bird Headed Man, Lascaux, |