Customs play an important part in all societies and offer fascinating insights into a country's history and culture. Scotland boasts a multitude of unique customs, many of which can be traced back to the times of the Druids, Celts and Romans. This book introduces hundreds of Scottish customs associated with a huge range of topics. As well as customs associated with key events of our lives, from birth to death, it also includes customs associated with the world of work, food and drink, health, animals and nature. Extracts from written works through the ages bring these customs to life and show how important they have been in the story of Scotland for thousands of years.

Divining with Achi and Tara is a book on Tibetan methods of prognostics with dice and prayer beads (mala). Jan-Ulrich Sobisch offers a thorough discussion of Chinese, Indian, Turkic, and Tibetan traditions of divination, its techniques, rituals, tools, and poetic language. Interviews with Tibetan masters of divination introduce the main part with a translation of a dice divination manual of the deity Achi that is still part of a living tradition. Solvej Nielsen contributes further interviews, a mala divination of Tara and its oral tradition, and very useful glossaries of the terminology of Tibetan divination and fortune telling. Appendices provide lists of deities and spirits and of numerous identified ritual remedies and supports that are an essential element of a still vibrant Tibetan culture.

Don't just see the sights-get to know the people. The people who inhabit the diverse landscapes of this beautiful land are proud, friendly, hospitable, and hardworking, but to understand the culture in any depth, you need to know the complex historical divisions between the highlands and the coast, and the rigid class and racial discrimination that has dominated the country's history. This updated edition of the award-winning Culture Smart! Ecuador takes you beyond the usual descriptions of what to see and digs into the heart of this multi-layered nation to give you an insider's view of the people and their traditions, history, food, and culture, and the practical tools to make the most of your time there. Have a richer and more meaningful experience abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on history, values, attitudes, and traditions will help you to better understand your hosts, while tips on etiquette and communicating will help you to navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

SENSORIVM: The Senses in Roman Polytheism explores how a range of cults and rituals were perceived and experienced by participants through one or more senses. The present collection brings together papers from an international group of researchers all inspired by 'the sensory turn'. Focusing on a wide range of ritual traditions from around the ancient Roman world, they explore the many ways in which smell and taste, sight and sound, separately and together, involved participants in religious performance. Music, incense, images and colors, contrasts of light and dark played as great a role as belief or observance in generating religious experience. Together they contribute to an original understanding of the Roman sensory universe, and add an embodied perspective to the notion of Lived Ancient Religion. Contributors are Martin Devecka; Visa Helenius; Yulia Ustinova; Attilio Mastrocinque; Maik Patzelt; Mark Bradley; Adeline Grand-Clement; Rocio Gordillo Hervas; Rebeca Rubio; Elena Muniz Grijalvo; David Espinosa-Espinosa; A. Cesar Gonzalez-Garcia, Marco V. Garcia-Quintela; Joerg Rupke; Rosa Sierra del Molino; Israel Campos Mendez; Valentino Gasparini; Nicole Belayche; Anton Alvar Nuno; Jaime Alvar Ezquerra; Clelia Martinez Maza.

Don't just see the sights-get to know the people. Morocco is a joy to the senses. Graced with spectacular scenery, the country's rich history is carved into its architecture and baked into its cuisine. Its marketplaces are filled with tantalizing scents and colorful sights, and the call of the muezzin seems to draw people from every corner of the globe. In 1956 Morocco gained independence from French colonial rule and was jolted into the 20th century. Today it is a country in transition-a unique blend of Arab, African, and European ways of life. The teeming cities have an air of sophistication and joie de vivre, but life in rural areas has stayed much the same. And while the cities are highly Westernized, tradition and religion still play a vital role in the everyday life of most people. Culture Smart! Morocco describes the life of Moroccans today, as well as the key customs and traditions that punctuate daily life. It examines the impact of religious beliefs and history on their lives, and provides insight into the values that people hold dear, as well as recent social and political developments. Tips on communicating, socializing, and on navigating the unfamiliar situations that visitors are likely to encounter ensure that they get the very best out of their time in this welcoming yet complex land. Have a richer and more meaningful experience abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on history, values, attitudes, and traditions will help you to better understand your hosts, while tips on etiquette and communicating will help you to navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Whether it is morning coffee or tea, or champagne with dinner and a glass of port after, these handy reference books offer insight into coffee and tea blends and champaigne and port vintages. Over 100 full-color photographs help to identify the "best of the best." Drink and enjoy!