Our pagan ancestors knew that every forest has brownies and
fairies, every spring its lady, and every river malevolent beings
in its depths. They told tales of giants in the hills, dragons in
the lakes, marshes swarming with will-o'-the-wisps, and demons and
wild folk in the mountains who enjoyed causing landslides,
avalanches, and floods. They both feared and respected these
entities, knowing the importance of appeasing them for safe travel
and a prosperous homestead. Exploring medieval stories, folk
traditions, spiritual place names, and pagan rituals of home
building and site selection, Claude Lecouteux reveals the multitude
of spirits and entities that once inhabited the land before modern
civilization repressed them into desert solitude, impenetrable
forests, and inaccessible mountains. He explains how, to our
ancestors, enclosing a space was a sacred act. Specific rites had
to be performed to negotiate with the local spirits and ensure
proper placement and protection of a new building. These land
spirits often became the household spirit, taking up residence in a
new building in exchange for permission to build on their
territory. Lecouteux explores Arthurian legends, folk tales, and
mythology for evidence of the untamed spirits of the wilderness,
such as giants, dragons, and demons, and examines the rites and
ceremonies used to gain their good will. Lecouteux reveals how,
despite outright Church suppression, belief in these spirits
carried through to modern times and was a primary influence on
architecture, an influence still visible in today's buildings. The
author also shows how our ancestors' concern for respecting nature
is increasingly relevant in today's world.
General
Imprint: |
Inner Traditions Bear And Company
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
August 2015 |
Authors: |
Claude Lecouteux
|
Dimensions: |
230 x 152 x 15mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
212 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-62055-399-2 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
1-62055-399-6 |
Barcode: |
9781620553992 |
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