Introduction

Since the beginnings of human history, people have sought knowledge and enlightenment in the divine with belief in a god or gods, the divine nature of oneself, the spiritual existence of inanimate objects or nature gods that controlled the elements. A large number of archaeological sites were originally places of god and nature worship and locations of spiritual transformations. Some of the world's most visited heritage sites today (e.g. Stonehenge and Machu Picchu) are believed to have been sites of ancient spiritual worship.

For thousands of years, people have traveled to locations they deem sacred. Evidence suggests that ancient peoples traveled to hallowed natural areas or human-built places to worship, pray, appease the gods or beseech deity for needed blessings. Pilgrimage has long been one of the most salient manifestations of religious devotion and one of the most influential forces in generating human mobility. Göbekli Tepe, Turkey, built more than 10,000 years ago, is believed to be the oldest built place of worship on earth and was evidently constructed by hunters and gatherers who probably returned to the site from time to time throughout the year to worship (Schmidt, 2000). Approximately 5000 years ago, river-based religious rituals and celebrations began as precursors to Hindu pilgrimage during the Vedic Age of South Asia (Bhardwaj, 1973). There is ample evidence to suggest that ancient peoples traveled to venerate natural and human-made sites for a variety of spiritual reasons.

In the modern world, worshippers from almost every religion on earth travel to search for God or their own spiritual selves in places officially or unofficially deemed sacred. They visit places that are revered for their connections to gods or holy men and women, their capacity to heal or their blessed existence as a place where miracles happened.