Bethlehem

Elements area

Taxonomy

Places

Code

Scope note(s)

    Source note(s)

      Display note(s)

        Hierarchical terms

        Bethlehem

        Bethlehem

        Equivalent terms

        Bethlehem

          Associated terms

          Bethlehem

            66 Images & Collections results for Bethlehem

            SMT RSA LAR1 5
            SMT RSA LAR1 5
            SMT SMT-SMT-RSA-LAR1-5.jpg · Item
            Part of Smits, Lucas
            Rain animals and zigzags.

            Rain-making was one of the San shamans’ most important tasks. The southern San thought of the rain as an animal. This animal was an amorphous quadruped that generally resembled a hippopotamus, but it could also look like an ox or an antelope. A male rain-animal, or rain-bull, was associated with the frightening thunderstorm that bellowed, stirred up the dust, and sometimes killed people with its lightning. The female rain animal was associated with soft, soaking rains.             La Rochelle I 1563
            SMT RSA LAR1 4
            SMT RSA LAR1 4
            SMT SMT-SMT-RSA-LAR1-4.jpg · Item
            Part of Smits, Lucas
            Rain animals and zigzags.

            Rain-making was one of the San shamans’ most important tasks. The southern San thought of the rain as an animal. This animal was an amorphous quadruped that generally resembled a hippopotamus, but it could also look like an ox or an antelope. A male rain-animal, or rain-bull, was associated with the frightening thunderstorm that bellowed, stirred up the dust, and sometimes killed people with its lightning. The female rain animal was associated with soft, soaking rains.             La Rochelle I 1563
            SMT RSA LAR1 3
            SMT RSA LAR1 3
            SMT SMT-SMT-RSA-LAR1-3.jpg · Item
            Part of Smits, Lucas
            Rain animals and zigzags.

            Rain-making was one of the San shamans’ most important tasks. The southern San thought of the rain as an animal. This animal was an amorphous quadruped that generally resembled a hippopotamus, but it could also look like an ox or an antelope. A male rain-animal, or rain-bull, was associated with the frightening thunderstorm that bellowed, stirred up the dust, and sometimes killed people with its lightning. The female rain animal was associated with soft, soaking rains.             La Rochelle I 1563
            RARI RSA SKA1 61
            RARI RSA SKA1 61
            RARI RARI-RARI-RSA-SKA1-61.jpg · Item · 16/07/1998
            Part of RARI
            Snakes.

            Depictions of snakes are not uncommon in rock art.Often it is difficult to detect the head because the snake is entering or leaving a crack or step in the rock face. On close inspection, it is noticeable that most are not depictions of real snakes at all.
            Moreover, bushman beliefs about snakes throw light on these puzzling features. It is believed that shamans used burnt snake powder to assist them in the control of their levels of trance. Like snakes, shamans go underground and then surface again when on out-of-body travel, and this probably explains why painted snakes often seem to slither in and out of the rock face.             Schaapplaats I 1785
            RARI RSA SKA1 59
            RARI RSA SKA1 59
            RARI RARI-RARI-RSA-SKA1-59.jpg · Item · 16/07/1998
            Part of RARI
            Snakes.

            Depictions of snakes are not uncommon in rock art.Often it is difficult to detect the head because the snake is entering or leaving a crack or step in the rock face. On close inspection, it is noticeable that most are not depictions of real snakes at all.
            Moreover, bushman beliefs about snakes throw light on these puzzling features. It is believed that shamans used burnt snake powder to assist them in the control of their levels of trance. Like snakes, shamans go underground and then surface again when on out-of-body travel, and this probably explains why painted snakes often seem to slither in and out of the rock face.             Schaapplaats I 1785
            RARI RSA SKA1 53
            RARI RSA SKA1 53
            RARI RARI-RARI-RSA-SKA1-53.jpg · Item · 16/07/1998
            Part of RARI
            Baboons. Schaapplaats I 1785
            RARI RSA SKA1 52
            RARI RSA SKA1 52
            RARI RARI-RARI-RSA-SKA1-52.jpg · Item · 16/07/1998
            Part of RARI
            Baboons. Schaapplaats I 1785
            RARI RSA SKA1 20
            RARI RSA SKA1 20
            RARI RARI-RARI-RSA-SKA1-20.jpg · Item · 16/07/1998
            Part of RARI
            Eland. Removals.

            The eland was the first animal that the San trickster deity, /Kaggen created and it remained his favourite.
            The eland is the largest of southern African antelope and is much desired for its meat and fat. The San say that all other animals are like servants to the eland.

            The importance of this animal is shown in the great variety of postures and perspectives. It is depicted running with tail outstretched, with uplifted head smelling the wind, and upside down, presumably dead. The eland is also depicted from the front or from the back, and even from above.

            The eland appears in four important San rituals it is the most carefully depicted antelope in both rock paintings and engravings: Trance dance, boy's first kill, girl's puberty and marriage. It is believed that eland fat contains a lot of potency and in a trance dance shamans aspire to possess eland potency.             Schaapplaats I 1785
            RARI RSA SAI1 4
            RARI RSA SAI1 4
            RARI RARI-RARI-RSA-SAI1-4.jpg · Item · 01/02/1989
            Part of RARI
            Letsoana Stad I 347