Carlo Ginzburg quote question. Cant quite understand...?

Question

I know i'm probably stupid for asking this... but i'm reading a book by Daniel Pinchbeck (Breaking Open the Head) and this one particular thing he said is driving me nuts because i can't seem to wrap my brain around it....

The quote goes as following:

"What if the origin of culture, what Carlo Ginzburg called 'the matrix of all possible narratives,' was the shamanic journey?"

If someone could please explain what Ginzburg meant by the origin of culture being the matrix of all possible narratives, i'd greatly appreciate this.... it's driving my curiosity insane.

Answer 1

It could mean:

the origin of the culture is being started off by different stories told by travellers, whereby these "stories" gathered together and people do what the stories tell, forming a belief and eventually a culture in the area.