The Sacred Identity of Mountains

The chapter begins with three general ways in which mountains are considered sacred—singled out by religious traditions, containing smaller sites that are considered sacred, and awakening a sense of wonder and awe that makes them personally important to individuals as well as traditions. The chapter goes on to explore various aspects of the sacredness of mountains, such as evoking the wholly other and possessing ultimate reality and meaning. On a more specific level, a table lists with examples ten particularly widespread views or themes through which people experience this sacredness of mountains, such as the mountain as high place, center, deity, and source of blessings. The chapter suggests the variety of terms and concepts for the sacred in different cultures and languages and points out that some cultures and languages don’t have a term for the sacred or don’t distinguish the natural from the supernatural. The chapter concludes with a definition of myth and a discussion of the role of myth in expressing the sacred identity of mountains.