“The Scientific Ghosthunter” by Christopher Tillman
(c) 1998, revised 1999, 2002, 2024
Like churches today, the sacred sites of past civilizations were much revered as natural, holy places.
These sites served as a religious nexus for an entire society of people. They were the scene of frequent ceremonies and worship practices; repositories of joy, anguish, and prayer much like today’s churches and temples. And, in some societies, they were also used for ritualistic sacrifice, both human and animal.
A site was considered sacred by ancient cultures because it was believed that the land and its surroundings held natural swells of earthen energy. It was land that was either naturally powerful or was sanctified by the gods themselves. Sometimes both.
This natural energy was also believed to have healing properties and, because of this belief, many sacred sites witnessed the pilgrimage of thousands of people every year. In some societies, shaman and sorcerers alike even utilized the energy of sacred sites to divine the future, speak to the dead, or summon magickal powers.
No matter what they were used for, sacred sites played a prominent role in the theology of ancient cultures. Modern-day researchers believe that many of these sites still hold an amazing amount of energy that can still be tapped into by those who are skilled in such things. Some even believe that these sites represented primitive technologies that helped mankind track the movements of the heavens, acting like giant astrological clocks.
In our current society, such ancient sites may appear trivial or pagan, left to the realm of historical oddities, but that doesn’t diminish the belief in the minds of many that paranormal energies may still be swirling within their boundaries.
