(2018), Nogué and Wilbrand (2018), Olszewska et al. Today, the term archetypes is used increasingly in scientific publications when landscapes are to be described, such as Hreško et al. Just under a decade later, Nash (1997) suggested that CG Jung’s concept of archetypes could be used to understand how landscapes have been perceived and interpreted throughout history. According to Bourassa (1988), modern environmental psychological theories can be interpreted as being in line with CG Jung’s thoughts on archetypes. Bourassa (1988) proposed a theory to be used in landscape architecture and planning: When analyzing landscapes, he argued, it may be appropriate to use Jung’s concept of archetypes. Today, holistic, easily understandable, and relevant descriptions of natural areas are needed: relevant, not least when it comes to the importance of nature areas for human health and well-being. These archaic descriptions of the essence of different natural landscapes can be described as nature or landscape archetypes. This may best be seen in Dante’s Divina Comedia, with amazing illustrations of the underworld by Gustave Doré ( Alighieri, 2018). But, nature also contains dangerous places, animals, and phenomena, which in various religions (e.g., Christianity and Islam) are tied to evil demons or the devil, and where the malefic underworld (e.g., Hades or Hell) is illustrated as a dark place, with forests where one gets lost deserts and swamps, and being extremely hot or cold. None of these environments emphasizes buildings – it is nature and the gardens that are highlighted. The Epic of Gilgamesh describes a garden of gods, a paradise as a place where even sicknesses give way and where we may regain power and strength ( Stigsdotter, 2005). In Ancient Greece, Arcadia is described as a place of happiness and beauteous perfection. ![]() In the Bible’s Creation, we meet Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In descriptions of these places, we find trees with good, edible fruits, plenty of fresh water, and friendly animals ( Prest, 1988 Gerlach-Spriggs et al., 1998). Examples can be taken from many cultures, such as the Arcadia of the ancient Greeks, the Paradise of the Persians, and the Eden of the Bible. ![]() Various parts of the natural landscape have thus been described as more friendly and divine than others. Since time immemorial, we humans have had an interest in seeking to explain the great existential story and in placing ourselves and our activities in the universe, often through religious beliefs ( Turner, 2005). In a follow-up article, we intend to develop a model for how the nature archetypes can interact with the calm and connection system. However, researchers have so far focused on how visits to natural environments have affected the sympathetic nervous system, and not realized the possibility of including the calm and connection system as well as the oxytocin in their explanatory models. We discuss how these nature archetypes evoke anxiety, fear, and distancing as well as calmness, tranquility, and connection. These natural phenomena and places are discussed, partly based on references to archaic Scandinavian mythology, Scandinavian lifestyle, and cultural canon, and partly on research on evolution, human preferences, and how nature can affect human health. The 10 clusters are related to specific phenomena and places in Scandinavian nature, which could be described as archetypal. Through cluster analysis, these properties have been grouped into 10 types of nature and landscape. In this study, 547 respondents in southern Sweden answered a questionnaire on properties in natural areas. The qualities in these nature areas which stand out to be most health-promoting are interpreted to be properties of nature that humans through evolution are prepared to perceive in a positive way. In parallel, an increasing number of research results since the 1980s have shown that human health and well-being are positively affected by stays in certain nature areas. Do people classify nature in ways that can be described as archetypes? Could it be that these can be interpreted as health promotive? More and more researchers today suggest that archetypes can be used to analyze, describe, and develop green spaces.
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