Latin American pilgrimage shrines from pre-Columbian times to the present have been linked to prominent geographical features, including caves, springs, rivers, and mountains. These landscapes are associated with divine forces, whether indigenous or European, and have been ritualized or made sacred through the creation of shrines there. Some shrines for pilgrimage are mere altars, while others are large basilicas. The pilgrimage shrines located throughout Latin America contain religious architecture, icons, and materials, such as water or comestible clay, which are very important to devotees. Beliefs associated with pilgrimage in the New World often blend European, indigenous, and African cultural elements. Pilgrimage in colonial period Latin America has been marked by the occurrence of miracles at sanctuaries and has led to subsequent visits by large numbers of worshipers. Pilgrims come to these sanctuaries for curing, religious ritual, and to reaffirm their cultural identity. Importantly, pilgrimage behaviors and shrines in Latin America parallel those in many other societies around the world. Studies of pilgrimage in colonial period Latin America show how cultures and religious beliefs associated with shrines emerged in the region. Investigators have gleaned information on past Latin American pilgrimage from historic documents, oral histories, studies of material culture, and archaeology. Additional work in archaeology resulted in important insights on pilgrimage in Latin American during the colonial period, including indigenous and European origins for pilgrimage, the duration of shrine importance, and changes in the functions of sanctuaries. Archaeological research also illuminated the ceremonial behaviors at the sanctuaries and what social segments and ethnic groups used them over time. Much of the literature on pilgrimages and shrines in the colonial period focuses on Mexico, Central America (Mesoamerica), and the Andean and coastal regions of Peru. Many publications have come out in small venues in local presses in each country, which can be hard to access. This bibliography provides key sources for the study of Latin American pilgrimage, shrines, and religious iconography in the colonial period. It is an excellent source of information leading to primary sources and additional documents on the topics outlined here. Mostly works in English and Spanish are previewed.
On Translation of Social Terms in Hong Lou Meng
