First, I'd like to mention that I'm also a new member. I was very
pleased to find such a group, and immediately joined, even though
most of the posts are spam...

To answer your question, fellow new member, I personally have a
spiritual/philosophical approach as well as an intellectual approach
to learning about history. I need to know as much as possible so that
I may understand as much as possible, particularly in terms of where
we are now. The way I see it, there was a great shift between the
Mesolithic hunter-gatherer life and the subsequent Neolithic
agricultural life. In the transition between these two, much was
gained, surely, but much was also lost. I am honestly of the opinion
that we need to recover that which was lost when our ancient
ancestors went from Mesolithic life to Neolithic life, and that what
was gained may not have been all that beneficial in the big picture...

I do hope this discussion will continue.

Richard.


--- In mesolithiceurope@yahoogroups.com, "ocrecave" <ocrecave@...>
wrote:
>
> Hello,
> I just joined this group and am happy to know that such discussion
> exists on the web.
>
> I am not an archeologist, but wished I was. I had too mnay things
to
> do: earn a kiving and especially do art.
>
> But I have a question that I hope will create a debate:
>
> Can an interest or a deep attraction in our distant past be
> completely distinct from some sort of apprehending of the sacred,
the
> spiritual?
> I mean: are some of you who devote a good part of their life to
> finding out about strange ancestral ways of life never touched by
the
> thrill of the uncanny, the sacred?
>
> You will find this cliche, like some clip from Indiana Jones/The
> cursed Temple...but to me, the far past, (and the more I read about
> it/visit places)has always been some sort of door to a more true
> world. Damn it, it sounds even worse/daff, as I try to expres
myself.
>
> Anyway, please speak up!
>