The Landscapes of Belief Systems: Historic Cartography as a Tool in Studying the Spatial Context of Folk Belief

A wealth of folklore records contain information about beliefs and ritual actions tied to specific sites, which can be tracked down if enough place-data is provided. With the help of historic village maps, especially partition maps, it is not only possible to track down these specific sites, but also analyze their positions with regards to the spatial organization of the village. Partition maps, having been drawn to divide the village land among farms, are particularly useful for this purpose. They can be used to find connections to borders, roads, economic zones and proximity to habitation, to name a few purposes. Visits to the sites and observations in the terrain can provide further insights into what kind of terrain features tend to become focal points for beliefs.