Database for Signs and Symbols of Spiritual Life

Gheorghe Lazarovici (Romania)

Abstract

The first part of this paper discusses the development of a database containing information about the signs and symbols related to Neolithic spiritual life. Special catalogues and dictionaries of this data were created in order to classify this information. Mathematical algorithms are used to correlate data in order to discern direct or indirect connections between objects and their characteristics within specific archaeological contexts. The second part presents correlated and seriated tables obtained from the extensive. From these tables it is possible to discern the evolution of different categories of signs and symbols. Information obtained from these tables indicates the existence of a mythology, reflected by a language of signs and symbols, in which messages are graphically transmitted. According to the author, this is a “sacral writing” with a dynamic evolution which developed in the Late Neolithic (fifth millennium BC) in the Vinča C culture groups, such as Turdaş, Gradešnica and others related to Vinča C.