Browsing by Author "Willingham, Rochelle Herbst"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Ritual Intonation Practices in Marsanes (NHC X)
    (2022-04-19) Willingham, Rochelle Herbst; DeConick, April D
    Language plays a central role in creation myths across many cultures, an importance which is reflected in ritual practice. Intonation practices were widespread among ancient Mediterranean cultures and can be found in many texts, including Gnostic, Hekhalot, and Greco-Egyptian. While the forms of practices were different—including the use of names, hymns, prayers, and intoning of vowels—the centrality of language is shared cross-culturally. In this thesis, I will investigate the intonation practices within Marsanes, a Gnostic text in the Nag Hammadi corpus, seeking to place it within the larger cultural milieu, as well as apply concepts from cognitive linguistics to understand the processes which lead to the development of these practices. The biocultural approach, along with cognitive ratcheting, provide a framework for modeling how these practices originated and subsequently developed into different forms, shaped by different cultures. This thesis argues that ritual intonation practices originated from the vocalizations of primates, as seen today in chimpanzees, and supported functions such as encouraging group cohesion and establishing and maintaining social relations of individuals within the community. These vocalizations—a form of ritualizing behavior—is instinctual. As humans evolved and developed culture, these innate practices took on new meaning which reflected the mythology, language, and beliefs of the culture.