Sami shamanism is shamanism as practiced by the Sami people. Though they vary considerably from region to region within Sápmi, traditional Sámi beliefs consist of three intertwining elements: animism, shamanism and polytheism. Animism is manifested in the Sámi belief that all significant natural objects (such as animals, plants, rocks, etc.) possess a soul, and from a polytheistic perspective, traditional Sámi beliefs include a multitude of spirits. Sami religion commonly emphasizes veneration of the dead and of animal spirit such as bear worship. The study of Sámi religion is also based on archaeological remains and written sources from missionary work in northern Scandinavia from the Middle Ages to as late to the early 18th century, though some of the knowledge exists as family oral tra