palimpsest |ˈpalimpˌsest|
noun
a manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writinghas been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain.
Implemented as a way of controlling and changing the dominant religion, palimpsest(ing) information has been used throughout history. Pharaoh Akhenaten converted ancient Egypt's state sanctioned polytheistic religion to that of a monotheism and went about removing any references of other gods from public view; the act of erasure in preparation for new inscription follows with the pattern for undergoing a rite of passage: death/ limen/ rebirth.
The initiate in a rite of passage becomes a palimpsest (tabula rasa), setting aside his identity taking up uniformity; in this state of ambiguity he becomes open to change.
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