Paper short abstract:

Early religious sources speak of technologies of transportation: chariots, boats, or flying devices. Transportation allows for proprioceptive experiences of being transported, of speed, and of external agency. Metaphorically, experiences of traveling are taken as explaining “journeys to the Real."

Paper long abstract:

From Ancient Greece, Egypt, Persia and Vedic India onwards, sources speak of technologies of transportation: chariots, carts and boats, and so forth, but even flying devices (e.g., in Ancient India, vimāna-s). The contribution will discuss the different soteriological functions and purposes of the real and metaphorical land-, sea-, and air-travel, and will argue, that it is not astonishing that already Ancient religious traditions had a high appreciation of latest human artifacts and technologies of travel. Transportation allows for proprioceptive experiences of being transported, of speed, and of external agency. Technologies of transportation allow, moreover, new vistas on the traveler’s home, on the journey, and on a final destination. Metaphorically, different phases and experiences of traveling are taken as explaining “journeys to the Real,” or, being transported from finitude to a deathless state, or from immanence to transcendence.