Religion is often viewed as among the most intangible aspects of culture. Yet, from cathedrals to pyramids, some of the largest and longest-lasting monuments of past societies are religious. Today people throughout the world continue to worship in, make pilgrimages to, and fight over sacred places. This class introduces students to the study of religion through the techniques of anthropology and archaeology. Specifically, we examine in detail the ways that sacred places reflect and shape the religious world of the people who create and use them. The key idea is that sacred places are not simply large, beautiful, evocative structures, but are also locations where people create their world, build their alliances, and allay their fears. Each week we discuss a foundational scholarly approach to religion and then analyze how that approach can help us understand the design and use of sacred places. Along the way we study sacred places from India, Japan, Africa, North America, and Europe and beyond.

Please Note: Fall 2020 Course Registration Opens Online on Monday, August 10th at 8AM (AZ Time)

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

• All Fall 2020 courses will be ONLINE ONLY.
• Courses will be delivered online via the Zoom video conferencing platform. All courses will be password protected and only available to enrolled students.
• All class sessions will be recorded and made available to enrolled students for a limited time to assist those who may not be able to attend the live class times.
• The Humanities Seminars Program reserves the right to cancel any seminar that fails to meet registration minimums. If a course is canceled all students enrolled in the canceled course will receive a full refund.