The Spiritual and Cultural Importance of Mountains

Abstract

Mountain environments are by far one of the most intriguing of terrestrial morphotypes, not only for the majestic imposing frames of highland relief, but also for the variety of cultural services appropriated by locals and visitors alike. This chapter delves into the importance of the spiritual and associated cultural characteristics of sacred mountains, as well as the sanctity associated with activities taking place in these often remote and poorly known ecoregions. It analyzes ten unique factors that highlight consideration of mountains as central in our new understanding about socioecological production landscapes that comprise the mountainscape. These factors explain the strong connection of people in wanting to protect and defend mountain territories and associated values, ethics, and cosmological visions afforded by the sheer nature of the mountainous environment. These main themes are centrality, apical prominence, source of blessings, awe-inspiring power, abode of gods or deities themselves, temples for worshipping, garden or paradise, ancestral places for the dead, identity markers, and revelation and transformative inspiration and renewal. Among those ten models or themes, the further nuanced montological vision is presented as either metaphorical or pragmatic way of seeing mountains through the lenses of scientists, priests, pilgrims, poets, artists, merchants, and ephemeral investors.