Grasping the Concept of the Sacred

The word sacred (or Sacred) can encompass many meanings. Some are tangible—others not. The sacred can exist in the mind or be defined on a map. Are there two sacreds—one with a small “s” and the other with a capital “S”? What constitutes the Sacred and who defines it, and with what parameters? How is sacredness determined, and who decides? Is it a legal term that is defined by the courts? Are there degrees of sacredness? Can sacred and profane co-exist? What role do Native oral traditions play in defining a sacred landscape? Is a sacred landscape static, or can it be fluid and change? From an archaeological perspective, the term sacred can be applied to rock art sites, formations on the physical landscape, rituals, artifacts, evidence of past activities, and even intangible oral traditions. Long before the word sacred entered the lexicon in the fourteenth century, evidence of the concept of sacredness was present.