SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

IN STARTING RESEARCH ON A SACRED PLACE

Does anyone own this place?

Is access open or restricted in any way?

Is any special protocol necessary in visiting this place?

What is the geographical location of this sacred place?

Is this place related to any other sacred places in the area or region?

Are some places more sacred than others?

Who recognizes this place as sacred?

What are the religious, cultural, national, and other affiliations of individuals and groups who recognize this place as sacred?

How do people recognize or identify this place as sacred?

What explanations do they give for it sacredness?

Do different cultures, religions, or interest groups view, interpret, and/or treat this place differently?

What are the characteristics of this place?

What are the components of this place?

Are some components more sacred than others?

How are the living and dead related to this place?

What texts, beliefs, values, attitudes, activities, behavior, and artifacts are associated with this place?

What rules, regulations, prohibitions, and/or proscriptions are associated with this place?

How old is this place?

How has this place changed through time?

Is this place contested in any way?

Is this place protected physically, legally, or otherwise?