{"id":7038,"date":"2025-04-24T07:57:11","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T07:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/?page_id=7038"},"modified":"2025-04-25T03:22:33","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T03:22:33","slug":"t21-s04-papers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/t21-s04-papers\/","title":{"rendered":"T21\/S04: The Change in Indigenous Rituals and Beliefs Due to the Spread of Established Religions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Format: Paper presentations with discussion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Convenors:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon Kaner, Executive Director, Head of the Centre for Archaeology and Heritage, Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures,\u00a0SI.Director@uea.ac.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gamini Wijesuriya, Special Advisor, WHITRAP, Former Vice President, World Archaeological Congress, gamini.wijesuriya@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miki Okadera, Assistant Counsellor, World Heritage Division, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, mikiokadera@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Koji Mizoguchi, Professor, Archaeology, Kyushu University, Japan, mizog@scs.kyushu-u.ac.jp<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spread of established religions such as Buddhism affected ancient societies in many ways, including ideology, social structure, religion, and art, and continues to have a significant impact today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This influence is particularly pronounced in island areas connected by maritime networks. We can see this on the sacred island of Okinoshima, a World Heritage Site, where changes in Japan\u2019s Indigenous rituals and beliefs can be traced over a period of 1,600 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spread of Buddhism had a major impact, such as the change from rituals held on huge rocks to rituals held in shrines. This living religious site allows us to see the process by which Indigenous rituals and beliefs change through exchange between countries in ancient East Asia. However, there are also cases where religions established through maritime exchange have spread and transformed Indigenous beliefs, and we can see similar situations on islands around the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this session, we will consider how the spread of established religions has affected the evolution of Indigenous rituals and beliefs in island areas around the world through comparative research with Okinoshima.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Papers:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tracing the Buddhist Legacy of Kashmir: A Journey Through Enlightenment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nazim Husain Al Jafri, Professor, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kashmir has a strong Buddhist tradition that has greatly influenced its intellectual, artistic, and religious landscape. The region is frequently praised for its syncretic cultural heritage. Especially under the Kushan and Karkota empires, the area became a significant hub for Buddhist scholarship, which promoted the development of the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions. The relics of Kashmir\u2019s Buddhist history are critically examined in this research, along with the ways in which monastic establishments, literary contributions, and artistic manifestations influenced the Buddhist community at large. However, the narrative does not continue indefinitely. Buddhism in Kashmir steadily collapsed as a result of socio-political changes, Hindu revivalism, and the eventual establishment of Islam in the region. Early Buddhist writings, such as Kalhana\u2019s Rajatarangini and Taranatha\u2019s History of Buddhism in India, offer insights into this decline, while also emphasising the syncretic aspects that allowed Buddhist thought to endure in Kashmiri Shaivism and later Sufi traditions. This paper highlights the intricate interactions between religious changes, sectarian strife, and external invasions that altered Kashmir\u2019s spiritual landscape, challenging the idealised view of the region as only a Buddhist paradise. A complex image of Kashmir\u2019s Buddhist legacy, one characterised by both enlightenment and erasure, is reconstructed through the examination of historical narratives, textual traditions, and archaeological data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changing Rituals and Beliefs in the Traditional and Colonial History of the Western Pacific Islands: Two Case Studies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christophe Sand, Senior Archaeologist of the New Caledonia Government; Senior Research Associate at the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD- Noum\u00e9a, GDR SENS)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This paper proposes to present two case studies on the influence of introduced religious practices in fostering changes in rituals and beliefs of entire communities during the course of time in the Western Pacific. The first example was linked to a regional network and took place during the first half of the second millennium AD, with the settlement of West Polynesian communities in different archipelagos of Island Melanesia, spreading into the region ritual practices associated to their pantheon of Polynesian gods. The second case will focus on the arrival of the Christian faith in the South-Western Pacific in the 19th Century, as part of the Western colonisation process that had a major impact on the Islanders throughout Oceania. The settlement and conversion work of Protestant and Catholic Missionaries, mainly of European origin but also arriving from Polynesia, lead to a rapid abandonment of traditional beliefs and a profound reorganisation of the social networks between Indigenous communities. The concluding analysis will illustrate how introduced religions become progressively syncretised into millennia-old animistic belief systems in Island Melanesia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considering the Changes in Rituals and Beliefs on Okinoshima in Relation to the Spread of Religion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miki Okadera, Assistant Counsellor, World Heritage Division, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sacred island of Okinoshima is located between the Japanese archipelago and the Korean Peninsula. On this island, national rituals have been held for 500 years since the latter half of the 4th century against the background of exchanges between various countries in ancient East Asia, and the traces of these rituals have been left untouched due to the taboos that continue to this day. All 80,000 votive offerings excavated during academic research have been designated as National Treasures. In the latter half of the 7th century, three goddesses were worshipped on three islands and the three shrines that make up the Munakata Taisha were formed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This heritage, which has been the focus of religious devotion for 1,600 years, provides a long-term view of the evolution of rituals in Japan’s indigenous faiths. In particular, the arrival of foreign ideas, including Buddhism, had a significant impact on Japan’s indigenous beliefs.
In this paper, I would like to consider how the spread of established religions, which was particularly pronounced in the island areas connected by a maritime network, affected local rituals and beliefs based on the results of recent research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Local Deity to the Margins: The Sidelining of Nang Kwak in Thailand\u2019s Prosperity Worship<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arhana Lochan, University of Delhi, India<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religious syncretism in Thailand has led to the gradual transformation and assimilation of indigenous deities within the dominant Hindu-Buddhist framework. This paper examines how Nang Kwak, a traditional Thai goddess of prosperity and business success, has been increasingly marginalised in favour of Brahm\u0101 (Phra Phrom) and other established religious figures, such as Lakshmi. Historically, Nang Kwak was widely venerated, particularly among merchants and small business owners, yet her presence remains largely confined to commercial spaces. In contrast, Brahm\u0101, originally a Hindu god, has become ubiquitous in urban Thailand, with shrines at major intersections, business centres, and even private households. This study traces the historical periods of Nang Kwak\u2019s prominence, analysing the socio-religious shifts that contributed to her decline. It explores how the rise of commercialised Buddhism, the integration of Hindu deities into Thai religious life, and the preference for pan-Asian symbols of prosperity have led to Brahma\u2019s dominance. Additionally, it examines the growing influence of Lakshmi as an aspirational figure, further displacing indigenous prosperity deities. Through an analysis of textual sources, iconographic representations, and contemporary religious practices, this paper highlights how globalisation and religious adaptation have reshaped Thailand\u2019s spiritual landscape, marginalising once-central local deities in favour of transnational religious figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Place of Buddhist and Hindu Cave Temples, Rock-cut Religious Architecture and Grottoes in the Continuity and Change of Religious Systems across Greater Asia.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicholas Roberts, Adjunct Research Fellow, The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia; Heritage Officer, Queensland Dept of Transport & Main Roads, Cairns, Australia<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his 1967 ethnography Burmese Supernaturalism, Melford E. Spiro underscored how Buddhism, wherever it is found, is accompanied by some other religious system. Spiro maintained that over time elements of pre-existing Indigenous religious systems, including animist or supernatural beliefs, rituals, and institutions diffused with or were replaced by Buddhism. Throughout Greater Asia, Buddhism, and to an extent Hinduism, diversified its religious systems as it spread geographically and interacted with existent sociocultural and religious systems, resulting in development of regionally syncretic and plural religious systems. The diffusion of pre-existing religious systems with Buddhism include, for example, Bon and Tibetan Buddhism, Supernaturalism in Burmese Buddhism, and Shinto with Japanese Buddhism. To critically examine the diffusion of these religious systems, including why and how continuity and change occurred within them, I argue it is essential to consider the function of Buddhist and Hindu cave temples, rock-cut religious architecture, and grottoes. I ascertain that these natural and anthropogenic places are key locations that illustrate how society and culture evolved over time, and further, how ecological niches acted as both setting and agent in facilitating for the variety of experiences and expressions Buddhism, Hinduism, and Indigenous religious systems developed throughout Greater Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Introduction of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Its Impact on Transforming the Ritualistic Landscape<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gamini Wijesuriya<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka, strategically positioned in the Indian Ocean, has historically served as a vital maritime hub along ancient trade routes. Its central location attracted a diverse array of seafarers, including traders, explorers, and religious pilgrims from both the East and the West. These visitors brought not only goods for exchange but also a variety of religious beliefs and ritual practices. Among the earliest and most influential of these was Buddhism, introduced as early as the 3rd century BCE, followed by other major religions in later centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The advent of Buddhism profoundly transformed the island\u2019s ritualistic landscape, shaping religious practices, built environments, and cultural expressions in ways that extended beyond Sri Lanka\u2019s shores. This paper examines the transformative role of Buddhism in redefining Sri Lanka\u2019s ritual landscapes and explores how the island, once primarily a maritime crossroads, evolved into a vibrant cultural hub with deeply rooted Buddhist practices. While embracing multiple faiths over time, how Sri Lanka has maintained the centrality and resilience of its Buddhist traditions\u2014an enduring legacy that continues to thrive today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Archaeology of Religious Conversion: The Adoption of Christianity and Buddhism in the Context of the Nara to Norwich Project<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon Kaner, Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years our understanding of the impact of archaeology on the adoption of Christianity around the North Sea has undergone a transformation, with many new discoveries, including the Prittlewell Princely Burial in Essex, UK, and the Anglo-Saxon royal centre at Rendlesham, Suffolk, UK, likely associated with the nearby royal burial ground at Sutton Hoo. The Nara to Norwich project www.naratonorwich.org<\/a> is working to establish a comparative framework to better understand the global significance of these discoveries, setting them in comparison with the appearance of Buddhism in Japan and Korea \u2013 thus providing insights into the spread of incoming religions at either ends of the Silks Roads (itself a contested concept).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This paper will survey these recent findings, and present a new phase of the Nara to Norwich project, which will explore the possibilities of an \u2018archaeology of religious experience\u2019 through the lens of pilgrimage, as we prepare to undertake a \u2018walking archaeology\u2019 of the ancient pilgrimage routes from Norwich to Walsingham in the UK, and Hasedera to Ise in Japan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Format: Paper presentations with discussion Convenors:\u00a0 Simon Kaner, Executive Director, Head of the Centre for Archaeology and Heritage, Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures,\u00a0SI.Director@uea.ac.uk Gamini Wijesuriya, Special Advisor, WHITRAP, Former Vice President, World Archaeological Congress, gamini.wijesuriya@gmail.com Miki Okadera, Assistant Counsellor, World Heritage Division, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, mikiokadera@gmail.com Koji Mizoguchi, Professor, Archaeology, Kyushu University, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1157,"featured_media":276,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-7038","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"pmpro-has-access","7":"czr-hentry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1157"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7038"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7038\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7530,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7038\/revisions\/7530"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldarchaeologicalcongress.com\/wac10\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}