My primary research interests are fundamentally centered on the cognitive and cultural evolution of European pre-Christian healing systems and cosmologies, particularly in comparison to their Eurasian counterparts. This includes an exploration into the existence of a distinct European form of healing-systems, often termed 'shamanism' or shamanistic beliefs. Drawing from ethnoarchaeological, ethnographic, comparative religious, and mythological studies, it long has been recognized that there are several core features inherent to the cosmological belief systems of indigenous shamanistic societies in the circumpolar north. The question that I am working with is if these core features likewise played a role in religious and ritualistic practice in prehistoric Europe?

I have dedicated many years to studying the cultural evolution of shamanism from pre-shamanistic rites and beliefs, the role of animistic ontologies in relation to landscapes and animals, bear-ceremonialism, animal-ceremonialism, and seasonal hunting rites, all underpinned by a non-anthropocentric worldview. Likewise, I am fascinated by many northern cultures such as the Evenki, Mansi, Khanty, just to name a few, and the ethnographic study of these cultures.

Despite limited academic interest in these subjects in Western Europe, with some exceptions like Finnish bear-ceremonialism, scholars such as Marek Zvelebil, Ole Grøn, Roslyn Frank, etc. suggest that European hunting societies shared many similarities with native Eurasian societies. This could be attributed to similar ecological, economic conditions, or climatic zones. Particularly Marek Zvelebil has demonstrated that prehistoric European hunting societies may have had very similar overarching ideological ideas that can be found both west and east of the Urals among indigenous north Eurasian cultures such as the Evenki or Ket. 

The presence of shamanistic elements in historically recorded accounts of 'European Witchcraft,' distinct from native Eurasian shamanism, has been well-documented by ethnographers like Éva Pócs. The origins and evolution of these shamanistic elements remain a widely debated research area, with more questions than answers. For instance, it is unclear if deeper fundamental layers existed in Europe's distant past that could explain the cognitive and cultural evolution of both European and Eurasian healing systems. Such layers might be found in similar animistic ontologies and practices of animal-ceremonialism, predating known forms of shamanism. There are distinct mythological and ritualistic aspects found in Siberian ethnographies, as pointed out by GM Vasilevich (1972). Such pre-shamanistic layers of ritual practice deserve particular interest and further in-depth inquiry.

My interest extends to the work of scholars in the field of New Animism and the application of the ontological turn to Western Europe. Questions about whether Europeans had a relational ontology with plants, animals, and landscapes as 'persons' before the advent of monotheism and national identities are crucial. Additionally, the impact of subsistence methods, such as hunting, gathering, or agropastoralism, on ritual and belief, and the evidence for a type of 'shamanism' in Europe are of significant interest.

Identifying 'pre-Christian' cultural layers in European rural traditions, customs, and folklore, and discerning their connection to pre-Christian cultural realities, are key objectives of mine. It is important to clarify that my approach is not to promote personal beliefs, opinions, or assumptions, nor am I affiliated with neo-pagan beliefs or groups.

Hexenkunde is a platform where I aim to share research findings and other areas of interest.

Fields of research, inquiry and interest are:

HEXENKUNDE is committed to achieving accuracy while making its work precise, clear and accessible.

Providing high quality and honest information that attempts to achieve academic standards of accuracy, yet is easily understandable, is a key mission of HEXENKUNDE and its work. Inspired by the early scholars of comparative religion and folklore studies such as Sir James George Frazer (1854 – 1941; Author of The Golden Bough), with a never-ending supply of curiosity and passion for the subject.

To do so, it is of importance to research the disciplines of comparative religion and mythology, folklore studies, ethnographic reports and ethnoarchaeology to investigate the cosmological belief-systems that might have been shared and/or were widespread across Europe. Furthermore, there's the hypothetical question of pre-Christian belief-systems continuing much longer than previously understood (see e.g. Ramsay MacMullen, 1984, 1997), or the question of such healing-systems being similarly structured both west and east of the Ural mountains, reaching into Siberian Taiga forests (Carlo Ginzburg, 1989, Éva Pócs, 1989, 1998).