The mythologies of the world are collective cultural dreams, and as such should be analyzed first from cultural perspectives. How do myths of the ancient Egyptians or Greeks, for instance, reflect the realities of the Egyptian and Greek cultures? When compared, however, mythologies reveal certain universal themes or motifs that point to larger trans-cultural issues such as the place of the human species in creation or the nature of deity as a concept. World Mythology: A Very Short Intr...

Vainglorious gods and irresistible seductresses. Beastly beasts and brutal warriors. Stories centuries in the making, and centuries worth of stories, are explained in this fascinating guide to mythology.Mythology forms our understanding of our origin, history, and traditions. They tell of our heroes and deities. Myths are vehicles for understanding religion, learning language, and understanding society, but they can often be difficult to understand and confusing. F...

The islands of Britain have been a crossroads of gods, heroes, and kings-those of flesh as well as those of myth-for thousands of years. Successive waves of invasion brought distinctive legends, rites, and beliefs. The ancient Celts displaced earlier indigenous peoples, only to find themselves displaced in turn by the Romans, who then abandoned the islands to Germanic tribes, a people themselves nearly overcome in time by an influx of Scandinavians. With each wave of invaders came a battle...

The mythologies of the world are collective cultural dreams, and as such should be analyzed first from cultural perspectives. How do myths of the ancient Egyptians or Greeks, for instance, reflect the realities of the Egyptian and Greek cultures? When compared, however, mythologies reveal certain universal themes or motifs that point to larger trans-cultural issues such as the place of the human species in creation or the nature of deity as a concept.World Mythology: A Very Sho...

From Zeus and Europa, to Diana, Pan, and Prometheus, the myths of ancient Greece and Rome seem to exert a timeless power over us. But what do those myths represent, and why are they so enduringly fascinating? Why do they seem to be such a potent way of talking about our selves, our origins, and our desires? This imaginative and stimulating Very Short Introduction goes beyond a simple retelling of the stories to explore the rich history and diverse interpretations of classical myth...

From colonial empire-building in the nineteenth century to the postcolonial culture wars of the twenty-first century, attempts at "comparison" have defined the international agenda of literature. But what is comparative literature? Ambitious readers looking to stretch themselves are usually intrigued by the concept, but uncertain of its implications. And rightly so, in many ways: even the professionals cannot agree on a single term, calling it comparative in English, compared

In this fascinating installment of the New York Times bestselling Don’t Know Much About® series, Kenneth C. Davis explores the great myths of the world and their implications for art, science, religion and culture throughout history.What is an Egyptian pyramid doing on the U. S. dollar bill? • Did a pharaoh inspire Moses to worship one God? • What’s a Canaanite demoness doing at a rock concert?Since the beginning of time, people have been insatiably curious. They’ve asked q...

Unlock the lost and hidden meanings of the world's ancient and modern signs and symbols with the latest in the hugely popular series of 'Element Encyclopedias'. This is the biggest A-Z reference book on symbolic objects you'll ever find.From the popular series of 'Element Encyclopedias', this is the largest, most definitive guide to the secret and ancient knowledge of signs and symbols, some of which has been lost over thousands of years.Why is the eye believed to be ...

“Unusually accessible and useful . . . An eye-opener to readers into the universality and importance of myth in human history and culture.”—William E. Paden, Chair, Department of Religion, University of VermontFor as long as human beings have had language, they have had myths. Mythology is our earliest form of literary expression and the foundation of all history and morality. Now, in Parallel Myths, classical scholar J. F. Bierlein gathers the key myths f...

This companion to the occult classic explores the history, mythology and practices of the ancient grimoire.Every serious student of the occult is familiar with this all-powerful text. Within it lie the secrets of eternity, the forbidden knowledge of the dark unknown.Every journey into the shadows requires careful, measured steps—a proficient execution of the necessary rituals and spells, and an understanding and appreciation of the history of the world beyond...

Tattoos are artistic, rebellious, individual, tribal – and fantastically creative. Once you’ve got the ink bug, there’s no going back. This enticing book explores more than 80 tattoo designs from a wide range of cultures, providing inspiration for anyone thinking of getting a tattoo and revealing the deep meaning and anthropological history behind each one. Cultures featured include Celtic, Japanese (Ainu), Maori, Polynesian and ancient Egyptian tattoos, as well as the best of modern tatto...