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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Non-Christian religions > Pre-Christian European & Mediterranean religions
Routledge Library Editions: Myth reissues four out-of-print
classics that touch on various aspects of mythology. One book looks
at the work of Martin Buber on myth, and another on the school of
Gernet classicists. Another book studies comparative mythology and
the work of Joseph Campbell, and the last book in the set looks at
the role of the gods and their stories in Indo-European mythology.
1. Martin Buber on Myth S. Daniel Breslauer (1990) 2. The Methods
of the Gernet Classicists: The Structuralists on Myth Roland A.
Champagne (1992) 3. The Uses of Comparative Mythology Kenneth L.
Golden (1992) 4. The War of the Gods Jarich G. Oosten (1985)
This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which
commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out
and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and
impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes
high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using
print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in
1932.
'A poetic, erudite exploration of history and myth' Financial Times
An unforgettable journey through centuries and across cultures to
the pivotal moment in evolution - when humans did something that no
species had yet tried - when we became the hunter and no longer the
prey. Informed by Greek and Egyptian myth, the stories of poets,
shamans and gods, Roberto Calasso's expansive exploration of our
relationship to animals and sacrifice, encourages us to reframe our
understanding of our place in history, and in the world. 'Calasso
has created a much discussed original genre for these books ... a
dense pastiche of myth, biography, criticism, philosophy, history
and minutiae ... woven together by Calasso's unflagging vision' The
New Yorker
Robert Graves's classic retelling of the Greek Myths is definitive,
comprehensive and unparalleled - and available now in the Penguin
Classics Deluxe series, featuring a new introduction from Rick
Riordan (bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and Olympian
series). Including many of the greatest stories ever told - the
labours of Hercules, the voyage of the Argonauts, Theseus and the
minotaur, Midas and his golden touch, the Trojan War and Odysseus's
journey home - Robert Graves's superb and comprehensive retelling
of the Greek myths for a modern audience has been regarded for over
fifty years as the definitive version. With a novelist's skill and
a poet's eye, Graves draws on the entire canon of ancient
literature, bringing together all the elements of every myth into
one epic and unforgettable story. Ideal for the first time reader,
it can be read as a single, continuous narrative, while full
commentaries, with cross-references, interpretations, variants and
explanations, as well as a comprehensive index of names, make it
equally valuable as a work of scholarly reference for anyone
seeking an authoritative and detailed account of the gods, heroes
and extraordinary events that provide the bedrock of Western
literature. The result is a classic among classics, a treasure
trove of extraordinary tales and a masterful work of literature in
its own right. Robert Graves (1895-1985) was a novelist, poet,
historian, critic and translator, author of some 140 books, and one
of the greatest figures of 20th century British literature.
Alongside The Greek Myths, his most famous works include the
historical novels I, Claudius and Claudius the God and his First
World War memoir Goodbye to All That.
The Celts and All That is a book bursting with blood-curdling
battles and dead important details about the ancient Celts.
Everything you need to know about human sacrifice and headhunting
is all here - plus a recipe for making your own Celtic bog butter!
Packed with incredible illustrations of everything from iron-age
jewellery to timber fortresses, this is an essential guide to a
brilliant bunch of ancient Europeans who shaped our world. The
Celts had roads, technology and inventions long before the Romans
turned up - but did they also run around naked, as the Romans
claimed? You'll find an intriguing answer to that and many other
crucial questions inside. Plus you'll learn to tell the difference
between Celtic myths and historical facts - but you'll also love
the magical legends of Celtic heroes and villains, warrior
princesses and monster slaying wizards.
This is a comprehensive reference source to the ancient world's
most fascinating mythologies. It is a visual dictionary with 1000
entries and more than 600 fine-art images. It covers every aspect
of Classical, Celtic and Norse mythology, folklore and legend,
bringing the past to life. It is a lively and informed narrative by
one of the world's leading authorities on the subject. Special
spreads compare and contrast key mythological and archetypal themes
in the different cultures. Hundreds of beautiful images highlight
every aspect of these heroic characters and their tales, from the
Olympian Gods to the Nordic warriors and nature gods of the Celts.
This encyclopedia of mythology brings together the three
outstanding traditions of Europe: the Classical legends of ancient
Greece and Rome; the fairytale myths of the Celtic world; and from
Northern Europe, tales of Germanic gods, Nordic warriors and
giants. They form the core of European mythological thought,
revealing the power of love in Helen of Troy, the mystery of death
in the tale of King Arthur and the challenge of the unknown in the
voyages of Brendan the Navigator. Pictorial features focus on
recurring mythological themes, such as Oracles, Magic, Voyages,
Heroes, and Spells, making this book universal in theme and
timeless in appeal. The A-Z structure of the book makes it easy to
find hundreds of characters, significant events, locations and
sites of interest, stories and symbols.
"Prose Edda" is a work without predecessor or parallel. It was
designed as a handbook for poets to compose in the style of the
skalds of the Viking ages. It is an exposition of the rule of
poetic diction with many examples, applications, and retellings of
myths and legends. Snorri Sturluson feared that the traditional
techniques of Norse poetics, the pagan kennings, and the allusions
to mythology would be forgotten with the introduction of new verse
forms from Europe. The present selection includes the whole of
Gylfaginning ("The deluding of Gylfi") - a guide to mythology that
forms one of the great storybooks of the Middle Ages - and the
longer heroic tales and legends of "Skaldskaparmal" (Poetic
diction). Snorri Sturluson was a master storyteller, and this
translation in modern idiom of the inimitable tales of the gods and
heroes of the Scandinavian peoples brings them to life again.
This book is about the multiplicity of gods and religions that
characterized the Roman world before Constantine. It was not the
noble gods such as Jove, Apollo and Diana, who were crucial to the
lives of the common people in the empire, but gods of an altogether
more earthly, earthy level, whose rituals and observances may now
seem bizarre.
The book opens with an account of the nature of popular religion
and the way in which the gods and myths of subject peoples were
taken up by the Roman colonizers and spread throughout the empire.
Successive chapters are devoted to the Great Mother, Isis, the
cults of Syria, Mithras, The Horsemen, Dionysus, and to practices
related to the performance of magic. It was above all with these
popular religions that the early Christians fought for supremacy.
In the concluding part of the book Professor Turcan describes this
contest and its eventual outcome in the triumph of Christianity
throughout the Roman world.
The author assumes little background or specialist knowledge.
Each chapter is fully referenced and where appropriate illustrated
with photographs and diagrams. The book includes a guide for
further reading specifically for English-speaking students.
As well as being of wide general interest, this book will appeal
to students of the Roman Empire and of the history of religion.
Learn about compelling worlds and characters depicted in myths and
legends in The Mythology Book. Part of the fascinating Big Ideas
series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and
easy to follow format. Learn about Mythology in this overview guide
to the subject, brilliant for novices looking to find out more and
experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Mythology
Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through
eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This
captivating book will broaden your understanding of Mythology,
with: - More than 80 classics retold and explained in mythology -
Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain
core concepts - A visual approach to big subjects with striking
illustrations and graphics throughout - Easy to follow text makes
topics accessible for people at any level of understanding The
Mythology Book allows you delve into each myth, discover the
meanings behind them, and understand their significance to
different cultures worldwide - aimed at adults with an interest in
the subject and wanting to gain more of an overview. Here you'll
find global coverage of world myths, profiling everything from the
well-known tales of the Greeks, Norsemen, and Egyptians to the
legends of the Caribbean, the Americas, Oceania, and East Asia.
Your Mythological Questions, Simply Explained Learn about myths in
this essential guide, from early creation beliefs to classical hero
narratives and the recurring theme of the afterlife. Delve into
each myth and discover the meanings behind these stories, getting
to the heart of their significance to different cultures worldwide.
If you thought it was difficult to learn about the many classic
stories, The Mythology Book presents key information in a clear
layout. Discover Zeus, god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian
gods, Loki, the cunning trickster with a knack for causing havoc,
Thor with his mighty hammer, and Hades, ruler of the underworld -
and much more. The Big Ideas Series With millions of copies sold
worldwide, The Mythology Book is part of the award-winning Big
Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with
engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.
The paperback release of the second volume of Sitchin's
autobiographical account of the investigations and discoveries that
led to The Earth Chronicles series
- Zecharia Sitchin tells how his life was at risk inside the Great
Pyramid and reveals the existence of a secret chamber
- Reports on Vatican encounters, the Iceman of the Alps, the
Antikythera computer, the temples and Ruts of Malta--and offers a
solution to the enigma of the Nazca lines
In "Journeys to the Mythical Past" the renowned researcher of
antiquity Zecharia Sitchin reveals, for the first time, the
existence of a secret chamber in Egypt's Great Pyramid, and he
tells his own story of an indefatigable dedication to finding the
truth that almost cost him his life--accidentally or
otherwise--when uncovering secrets of the Giza pyramids and Sphinx.
Exposing hidden artifacts that contradict establishment assumptions
or that baffle scientists, Sitchin's firsthand accounts of his
explorations take the reader into the inner workings of the
Vatican, the enigma of a futuristic computer from millennia ago,
and the secret handiwork of a Divine Architect at Stonehenge, at
Malta, and at a site in the Americas.
Looking deep into antiquity, Sitchin offers astounding evidence
that links the Nazca lines and a baffling adjoining site to the
Departure from Earth of the Anunnaki, the ancient gods who, he
believes, vowed to Return.
The Green Man is an ancient and popular icon of the natural world -
the very spirit of nature. Here, in this remarkable pack, his tree
wisdom and the Celtic Ogam tree alphabet combine to bring you an
oracle of immense power. The beautifully illustrated deck of 25
cards depicts each of the trees that make up this ancient Celtic
alphabet. The Green Man is present in every image - sometimes
obvious, sometimes hidden - inviting you to enter his world. You
will discover tree lore, myths and symbolism, and you will learn
the innermost meaning of each card, and how this age-old knowledge
can guide you in your life today.
The texts and visual arts of ancient Egypt reveal a persistent and
sophisticated engagement with problems of language, the body, and
multiplicity. This innovative book shows how these issues were
represented in ancient Egypt and how Egyptian approaches to them
continue to influence the way we think about them today.
The story of Osiris is one of the central cultural myths of ancient
Egypt, a story of dismemberment and religious passion that also
exemplifies attitudes about personal identity, sexuality, and the
transfer of royal power. It is, moreover, a story of death and the
overcoming of death, and in this it lies at the center of our own
means of engagement with ancient Egypt.
This book focuses on the story of Osiris as it is recorded in
Egyptian texts and memorialized on the walls of temples and tombs.
Since such a focus is attainable only through Egyptian
representational systems, especially hieroglyphs, the book also
engages broader questions of writing and visual representation:
decipherment, controversies about the "ideograph," and the relation
between visual images and writing.
This analysis of Egyptian representation leads to a consideration
of the phallic body and the problem of multiplicity in Egyptian
religion, two nets of Egyptian discourse that, though integrated
into the writing system itself, reach toward broader Egyptian
discourses of gender, subjectivity, piety, and cosmogenesis. The
concluding chapter considers, in specific terms, the question of a
persisting Egyptian legacy in the West, from the Greeks and
Israelites to Augustine, Hegel, and Lacan.
For years, from her home on a hill outside Nashville, River Jordan
felt a call to travel to the mystical Isle of Iona, off the coast
of Scotland--the island that gave birth to Celtic Christianity. In
The Ancient Way she invites us to leave the sacred space of our
homes and our lives and join her on this pilgrimage. With the help
of friends and the kindness of strangers, Jordan winds her way
across green mountains to late-night ferries, across islands and
down one-way roads led by the light of Iona and a trust in God.
Along the way she explores ancient Celtic Christian practices such
as cherishing creation, trusting spiritual friendship, offering
hospitality, creative imagination, and honoring community--carrying
them home with her to infuse her daily life. This is an intimate
story of imagination, of personal transformation, of stillness and
prayer. It's also a quirky, thoughtful guide for cultivating divine
connection and creativity as we embark on our own wild adventures,
chasing after the mystery that calls us all.
Cassiodorus-famed throughout history as one of the great Christian
exegetes of antiquity-spent most of his life as a high-ranking
public official under the Ostrogothic King Theoderic and his heirs.
He produced the Variae, a unique letter collection that gave
witness to the sixth-century Mediterranean, as late antiquity gave
way to the early middle ages. The Variae represents thirty years of
Cassiodorus's work in civil, legal, and financial administration,
revealing his interactions with emperors and kings, bishops and
military commanders, private citizens, and even criminals. Thus,
the Variae remains among the most important sources for the history
of this pivotal period and is an indispensable resource for
understanding political and diplomatic culture, economic and legal
structure, intellectual heritage, urban landscapes, religious
worldview, and the evolution of social relations at all levels of
society during the twilight of the late-Roman state. This is the
first full translation of this masterwork into English.
Radically reinterpreting the time line of prehistory, J. S. Gordon
shows that Egyptian civilization is 50,000 years older than
acknowledged by Egyptology. He explores astrophysical,
cosmological, geophysical, linguistic, and anthropological evidence
to reveal forgotten civilizations hidden beneath the Mediterranean
and along the coast of northwestern Africa. He explains how the
"spontaneous" full-fledged appearance of Egyptian and Sumerian
civilizations 5,000 years ago represents not the birth of
civilization but the remnants of an immensely ancient and
sophisticated worldwide culture ranging from Tibet and China to
Atlantis and the vastly larger continent of which it once was part.
Examining the mystical traditions and initiatory rituals of the
ancient Egyptians, Gordon shows that they were not a culture
obsessed with death and tombs but one structured around cosmic
knowledge, with an astronomical competence that modern science has
yet to attain. He reveals their sophisticated understanding of the
precession of the equinoxes and its inextricable connection to
human evolution and divine purpose--an understanding that could
only have arisen from many millennia of high-level observation.
Illustrating in detail the sacred geometry of the Great Pyramid and
the Giza site, Gordon explains how the coherence of Egyptian
mystico-scientific concepts and their art, architecture, and
engineering reveals a mission to achieve a "reflection of Heaven on
Earth" through the careful location, orientation, and stellar
alignment of their temples. He shows the Egyptian Mystery School
and its scientific knowledge and universal spiritual philosophy to
be a legacy left to the ancient Egyptians by the "fallen star
gods," divine celestial beings who came to Earth long ago and
founded the original now forgotten culture--and who will return
again with the turning of the Great Year.
This is the first survey of religious beliefs in the British Isles
from the Old Stone Age to the coming of Christianity, one of the
least familiar periods in Britaina s history. Ronald Hutton draws
upon a wealth of new data, much of it archaeological, that has
transformed interpretation over the past decade. Giving more or
less equal weight to all periods, from the Neolithic to the Middle
Ages, he examines a fascinating range of evidence for Celtic and
Romano--British paganism, from burial sites, cairns, megaliths and
causeways, to carvings, figurines, jewellery, weapons, votive
objects, literary texts and folklore.
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