The concept of Axis Mundi is once which I associated with how humans must have thought about the world before knowing it was actually round. If I were a native trying to understand the world in which I lived, my knowledge the Earth I would see through my eyes would be that it must be flat. I would have relative knowledge of what lies beyond in any direction for a few hundred miles at the most, so it is only natural that I may begin to ask, "where is the center of the world?" It is no surprise that some would tend to find places like mountain tops or lush valleys as world centers. Today, the only concept i have of a world center is the equator, which is truly an arbitrary construction, for an equator can be drawn across any part of a sphere. The axis mundi, however, also suggests a place where the heavens and Earth meet. Again, tall mountains tend to fit this description, and I wonder how prevalent the concept of axis mundi would be to people who understood the Earth roundness. Anyone else have comments on Axis Mundi?
Ryan Wilson
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