This collection includes the revised and updated translations by Paul Roche of the Oedipus cycle, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone, as well as all-new translations of Ajax, The Women of Trachis, Electra, and Philocetes.

    Here Campbell explores common religious symbols, reexamining and reinterpreting them in the context of his remarkable knowledge of world mythology. According to Campbell, society often confuses the literal and metaphorical interpretations of religious stories and symbols. In this collection, he eloquently reestablishes these metaphors as a means to enhance spiritual understanding and mystical revelation. With characteristic verve, he ranges from rich storytelling to insightful comparative scholarship. Included is editor Eugene Kennedy’s classic interview with Campbell in The New York Times Magazine, which brought the scholar to the public’s attention for the first time.

    Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America. Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.Scary, gripping and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a long, hard look into the soul of America. You'll be surprised by what - and who - it finds there...

    Missing from these accounts, however, was the perspective of the Anunnaki themselves. What was life like on their own planet? What motives propelled them to settle on Earth - and what drove them from their new home? Convinced of the existence of an actual autobiography of Enki - a lost book that held the answers to these questions - the author began his search for evidence. Through exhaustive research of primary sources, and using actual discovered portions of the ancient text as "scaffolding," he has here re-created the memoirs of Enki, the leader of these first "astronauts." What takes shape is the story that begins on another world, a story of mounting tensions, survival dangers and royal succession rivalries, and sophisticated scientific knowledge concerning human origins that is only today being confirmed. An epic tale of gods and men unfolds that parallels the Bible and may challenge every assumption we hold about our past and our future.An eminent Orientalist and Biblical scholar, Zecharia Sitchin is distinquished by his ability to read Sumerian clay tablets and other ancient texts. He is a graduate of the University of London and worked as a journalist and editor in Israel for many years.(Description from the back cover of trade paperback edition)

    But then her latest purchase--a vase with the Celtic goddess Epona on it--somehow switches her into the world of Partholon, where she's treated like a goddess. A very temperamental goddess... It seems that Shannon has stepped into another's role as the Goddess Incarnate of Epona. And while it has some very appealing moments--what woman doesn't like a little pampering now and then?--it also comes with a ritual marriage to a centaur and the threat of war against the evil Fomorians. Oh, and everyone disliking her because they think she's her double.Somehow Shannon needs to figure out how to get back to Oklahoma without being killed, married to a horse or losing her mind... .

    The runes have deep resonances within the pagan Norse world of gods and goddesses, giants, dwarves, warriors, and wizards, which have greatly influenced the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, among others. Norse tradition attributes the discovery of the runes to the "All-Father" Odin--a god of inspiration and secret wisdom and the mythical prototype for runecasters, who established the pattern for gaining his knowledge.Nordic Runes addresses three major areas: Runelore, the history of this 2000-year-old Norse oracle; Runestaves, the meaning of the individual runes of the Elder Futhark alphabet and their powerful mythological, magical, and practical lessons for daily life; and Runecasting, a comprehensive guide to the oracular application of the ancient runes, including their crafting, divination, and self-development. As Nordic Runes shows, the runes do more than simply reflect the path of fate; they help develop and enhance intuition. By learning to cast and interpret the runes, the user becomes receptive to the energy currents in material reality and empowered in the arts of its transformation.

    These fascinating entries identify particular deities and giants, as well as the places where they dwell and the varied and wily means by which they forge their existence and battle one another. We meet Thor, one of the most powerful gods, who specializes in killing giants using a hammer made for him by dwarfs, not to mention myriad trolls, ogres, humans and strange animals. We learn of the ongoing struggle between the gods, who create the cosmos, and the jotnar, or giants, who aim to destroy it. In the enchanted world where this mythology takes place, we encounter turbulent rivers, majestic mountains, dense forests, storms, fierce winters, eagles, ravens, salmon and snakes in a landscape closely resembling Scandinavia. Beings travel on ships and on horseback; they eat slaughtered meat and drink mead.Spanning from the inception of the universe and the birth of human beings to the universe's destruction and the mythic future, these sparkling tales of creation and destruction, death and rebirth, gods and heroes will entertain readers and offer insight into the relationship between Scandinavian myth, history, and culture.

    Through poems of passionate and obsessive erotic love, Orr has dramatized the anguished intersection of infinite longings and finite lives and, in the process, explores the very sources of poetry.When Eurydice saw himhuddled in a thick cloak,she should have knownhe was alive,the way he shiveredbeneath its useless folds.But what she sawwas the usual: a strangerconfused in a new world.And when she touched himon the shoulder,it was nothingpersonal, a kindnesshe misunderstood.To guide someonethrough the halls of hellis not the same as love."A reader unfamiliar with Orr’s work may be surprised, at first, by the richness of both action and visual detail that his succinct, spare poems convey. Lyricism can erupt in the midst of desolation."—Boston GlobeWhen Gregory Orr’s Burning the Empty Nest appear, Publisher’s Weekly praised it as an "auspicious debut for a gifted newcomer…he already demonstrates a superior control of his medium." Kirkus Review celebrated it as "an almost unbearably powerful first book of poetry" and enthusiastically reviewed his second book Gathering the Bones Together, noting that "Orr’s power is the eloquence of understatement." Most recently, his City of Salt was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award. Gregory Orr teaches at the University of Virginia.

    The Yule Lads gives readers of all ages a delightful insight into the history, customs and characters of Christmas in Iceland. Beautifully illustrated hard cover in English.

    Many typical features of the Greek spirit are imprinted on the myth - a tendency towards competition, the affirmation of life, the worship of beauty, and the interest of the Greeks in man as man, leading to the creation of an idealised picture of him, which served to promote rules of life of general authority.A great many people from one end of the earth to the other have a mythology of gods and heroes. It is, however, only ancient Greek mythology which, thanks to its quality, has transcended every geographical and chronological frontier and has become a possession of the human spirit as a whole.The purpose of this volume is to provide a Mythology which is not addressed only to specialists - though without losing its scholarly character - but which will be accessible to a wide range of the public; a Mythology which will be read with pleasure by children and adults, by scholars and intellectuals, but also by ordinary people who, without any interest in the specialist questions of academic research, wish to be entertained by discovering what stories the ancient Greeks told about their gods and heroes and to enjoy in a straightforward manner the beauty of the ancient myths.

    

    It explores the alienation that sets such seekers apart, the varieties of the pain of living, the healing of the incarnation, the discovery of the life's mission, and how to live a devotional life in a busy world.

    The astrological student may know that the Sun is the most important factor in the birth horoscope, but frequently used terms such as "self-expression" give little insight into this most profound and complex of astrological symbols. The seminars in this volume explore the many dimensions of the astrological Sun, from the Sun as a father-symbol to its importance as a significator of personal identity, vocation, and spiritual values. Also examined are progressions of the Sun to natal planets, and major planetary aspects to the natal Sun. With so little written work available on the Sun in the horoscope, this innovative volume offers psychological and astrological perspectives which will be invaluable for both the student and the professional astrologer.

    Craig Russell's adaptation of the Ring cycle by German composer Richard Wagner is about to be collected in a handsome two-volume set. Volume One, with new introductions and behind-the-scenes production art, presents The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie. The magical gold of the Rhine maidens is stolen, leading to a twisted story of vengeance and betrayal. The tainted product of the theft, a simple ring, perverts the will of everyone it comes in contact with, from the most lowly hunchback to the father of the Gods. Read the original tale of the cursed Ring, as adapted by one of comics' finest creators, P. Craig Russell.

    Detailing the life and dharma of the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, Lord Ramachandra, she explains how Rama became divine through strict adherence to dharma, the law of cosmic righteousness. Considered one of the greatest love stories of all time, the Ramayana most famously recounts Rama’s heroic journey, with the help of his loyal friend the monkey god Hanuman and his devoted brother Lakshmana, to rescue his beloved wife Sita from the demon king Ravana. Rama’s battle with the forces of evil provides powerful examples of heroic strength and loyalty, the dangers of spiritual delusion and false attachment, and the power of love, both human and divine. Capturing the mystical spirit and transcendental wisdom of this immortal story, Vanamali explains how the character of Rama has captivated devotees through the millennia because his story depicts eternal truths that appeal to the best in human nature. She reveals how even though Rama is an avatar of Vishnu, he still possesses many human weaknesses, such as attachments, desires, and anger. His greatness lies in the fact that he rose above these traits, put his spiritual duty above all personal considerations, and perfected himself to become a super human capable of saving those he loved most. Rama’s life shows that however weak we may be, each of us is capable of amazing feats through devotion, loyalty, perseverance, and love.

    Assmann describes in detail nine different images of death: death as the body being torn apart, as social isolation, the notion of the court of the dead, the dead body, the mummy, the soul and ancestral spirit of the dead, death as separation and transition, as homecoming, and as secret. Death and Salvation in Ancient Egypt also includes a fascinating discussion of rites that reflect beliefs about death through language and ritual.

    They are all filled with adventure, magic, mystery, and the wonders of the human heart and spirit. They are a gift to us from our most distant ancestors, for us to enjoy and treasure for all time.

    The book uses original text in the form of books, hymns, prayers, hieroglyphic paintings and archaeological finds. Full description

    The Planet Gods is that volume: a new, reliable guide to the exciting recent developments in the world of astronomy from the experts here on planet Earth.Distinguished astronomer and writer Dr. Jacqueline Mitton takes us on a fascinating tour of the planets of our Solar System, taking into account all the latest reclassifications of the heavens. A lyrical, poetic text explores the features of the planets and compares them to the gods of old who are their namesakes. Though many of the planets were named long before we had good scientific information about them, Mitton draws readers attention to some amazing coincidences. The veiled goddess Venus lends her name to a cloud-shrouded planet. The blue, stormy planet Neptune is named for the god of the sea.The Planet Gods brings together for the first time the myths and truths of space science. Christina Balit’s sparkling magical illustrations, highlighted with metallic ink, make this a fantastic gift book, which will enthrall children of all ages.

    Noble was an Irish woman who was converted to Hinduism by the noted Indian Guru Vivekananda during the Victorian era. Under the name Sister Nivedita she devoted her life to selflessly serving the poor of India, particularly women, in Calcutta, providing education and medical care. This is a short book of essays which she wrote dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Kali. Also at this site by Sister Nivedita are Studies from an Eastern Home, and The Web of Indian Life." (Quote from sacred-texts.com)Table of Contents: Publisher's Preface; Concerning Symbols; The vision Of Siva; Two Saints Of Kali; The Voice Of The Mother; A visit To Dukineshwar; An Intercession; The Story Of Kali; Kali The MotherAbout the Publisher: Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, Esoteric and Mythology. www.forgottenbooks.orgForgotten Books is about sharing information, not about making money. All books are priced at wholesale prices. We are also the only publisher we know of to print in large sans-serif font, which is proven to make the text easier to read and put less strain on your eyes.

    An exciting and colourful tale, lyrically written by Michael Lawrence, gorgeously illustrated by Robert Ingpen.

    The legend, handed down through the ages in fragments, remains at the core of Western civilization. In this ten-part epic drama, the story is told complete. Achilles, Helen of Troy, Cassandra, Orestes and the heroes of Greek myth face up to the questions and dilemmas of a world at war.

    These poems--many of which are presented here for the first time in English translation--were written from the early eighteenth century up to the contemporary period. They representthe unique Bengali tradition of goddess worship (Saktism) as it developed over this period. Included are forty poems by the most famous of all Sakta poets, Ramprasad Sen (c.1718-1775) and ten lyrics by the renowned 20th-century poet Kaji Najrul Islam. McDermott's lucid introduction places theseworks in their historical context and shows how images of the goddesses evolved over the centuries. Her lively translations of these poetic lyrics evoke the passion and devotion of the followers of Kali and Uma and shed light on the history and practice of goddess worship.

    They were a part of everyday life, as real to people as the sunrise, and as incontrovertible as the existence of God. While fairy belief was only a fragment of a much larger complex, the implications of studying this belief tradition are potentially vast, revealing some understanding of the worldview of the people of past centuries. This book, the first modern study of the subject, examines the history and nature of fairy belief, the major themes and motifs, the demonising attack upon the tradition, and the attempted reinstatement of the reality of fairies at the end of the seventeenth century, as well as their place in ballads and in Scottish literature.

    When Bolen's earlier book Goddesses in Everywoman was first published, it became a surprise bestseller and an unexpected star in the womens' spirituality movement. Bolen viewed archetypal patterns from a Jungian-feminist point of view as they affected the first two phases of a woman's life. Now she has devoted an entire book to the third phase of a woman's life, that of a "green and juicy crone." Here again, the goddesses (Demeter, Artemis, Persephone etc,) as they would age are invoked as role models as well as some non-Western goddesses. All can add perspective and wisdom to any woman's Act III.

    This well-illustrated book examines nymphs as both religious and mythopoetic figures, tracing their development and significance in Greek culture from Homer through the Hellenistic period. Drawing upon a broad range of literary and archaeological evidence, Jennifer Larson discusses sexually powerful nymphs in ancient and modern Greek folklore, the use of dolls representing nymphs in the socialization of girls, the phenomenon of nympholepsy, the nymphs' relations with other deities in the Greek pantheon, and the nymphs' role in mythic narratives of city-founding and colonization. The book includes a survey of the evidence for myths and cults of the nymphs arranged by geographical region, and a special section of the worship of nymphs in caves throughout the Greek world.

    These popular tales of the Taoist immortals were also often dramatized in Chinese operas.The stories are of famous characters in Chinese history and myth: a hero's battle with the lords of evil, the founder of the Ming dynasty's treacherous betrayal of his friends, a young girl who saves her town by imitating rooster calls. Entertaining and often provocative, these tales usually include a moral. The immortals are role models in Chinese culture, as well as examples of enlightenment. Some of the immortals were healers, some were social activists, some were aristocrats, and some were entrepreneurs. The tales chosen by Eva Wong here are of the best-known immortals among the Chinese. Their names are household words and their stories are told and retold by one generation to the next.

    Now, in Gods and Mortals: Modern Poems on Classical Myths, we have the first anthology to gather the great 20th century myth-inspired poems from around the world. "Perhaps it is because the myths echo the structure of our unconscious that every new generation of poets finds them a source of inspiration and self-recognition," says Nina Kossman in her introduction to this marvelous collection. Indeed, from Valery, Yeats, Lawrence, Rilke, Akhmatova, and Auden writing in the first half of the century to such contemporary poets as Lucille Clifton, Derek Walcott, Rita Dove, Wislawa Szymborska, and Mark Strand, the material of Greek myth has elicited a poetry of remarkably high achievement. And by organizing the poems first into broad categories such as "Heroes," "Lovers," "Trespassers," and secondly around particular mythological figures such as Persephone, Orpheus, or Narcissus, readers are treated to a fascinating spectrum of poems on the same subject. For example, the section on Odysseus includes poems by Cavafy, W. S. Merwin, Gregory Corso, Gabriel Zaid, Louise Gluck, Wallace Stevens, and many others. Thus we are allowed to see the familiar Greek hero refracted through the eyes, and sharply varying stylistic approaches, of a wide range of poets from around the world. Here, then, is a collection of extraordinary poems that testifies to--and amply rewards--our ongoing fascination with classical myth.

    Mighty Isis struggles to save her beloved brother in Ancient Egypt, and White Buffalo Woman instructs the Sioux tribe on how to worship Mother Earth.

    The recent discovery of some tablets has forced a noteworthy modification of some points of view and a review ofthe different hypothesis proposed about them. The book presents a complete edition of the texts, their translation and some fundamental keys for their interpretation, in an attempt at updating our current knowledge on Orphic ideas about the soul and the Afterlife stated in those texts. The work is improved with an appendix of iconographic annotations in which some plastic representations in drawings are reproduced related to the universe of tablets, selected and commented on by Ricardo Olmos.

    Explains 80 divinities (gods, goddesses), how they interact to maintain the universe and the human being, the Egyptian concept of monotheism, and animal symbolism.

    In The Tradition of the Trojan War in Homer and the Epic Cycle, Jonathan Burgess challenges Homer's authority on the war's history and the legends surrounding it, placing the Iliad and Odyssey in the larger, often overlooked context of the entire body of Greek epic poetry of the Archaic Age. He traces the development and transmission of the Cyclic poems in ancient Greek culture, comparing them to later Homeric poems and finding that they were far more influential than has previously been thought.

    There, it is said, a line of enlightened kings is guarding the highest wisdom for a time when all spiritual values in the world outside will be lost in war and destruction. At that time, according to the legend, a great king will emerge from this sanctuary to defeat the forces of evil and establish a golden age. Drawing on Tibetan and Sanskrit texts, interviews with lamas in Nepal and India, and his own experiences in the Himalayas, Edwin Bernbaum gives a detailed account of this intriguing legend, examining its basis in the history and religion of the region, as well as exploring its symbolic meaning.

    Jenkyn Thomas was dismayed to find that his students — who took such delight in the fairy stories of other nations — knew nothing at all of their own country's rich heritage of fairy tales. To fill the need for a collection of Welsh fairy tales for young readers, he compiled this definitive treasury.Abounding in phantoms, fairies, witches, magical spells, and other time-honored fairy-tale ingredients, the 83 fascinating stories include "Lady of the Lake," in which a young country boy falls in love with a beautiful girl who agrees to marry him under very strange conditions; "The Adventures of Three Farmers," and "The Fairy Wife," in which fairies outsmart mortals; and a wealth of other fanciful, imaginative tales. Among these are such favorites as "Elidyr’s Sojourn in Fairy-Land," "Pergrin and the Mermaiden," "The Cave of the Young Men of Snowdonia," "Goronwy Tudor and the Witches of Llanddona," "A Strange Otter," "Nansi Llwyd and the Dog of Darkness," "The Bride from the Red Lake," "Lowri Dafydd Earns a Purse of Gold," and many more. Overflowing with charm, whimsy, and authentic Welsh flavor, this stimulating collection is sure to delight not only children but also fairy- and folk-tale lovers of all ages.

    Patricia Ingham brings these precarious historical positions to bear on readings of Arthurian literature in Sovereign Fantasies, a provocative work deeply engaged with postcolonial and gender theory.Ingham argues that late medieval English Arthurian romance has broad cultural ambitions, offering a fantasy of insular union as an "imagined community" of British sovereignty. The Arthurian legends offer a means to explore England's historical indebtedness to and intimacies with Celtic culture, allowing nobles to repudiate their dynastic ties to France and claim themselves heirs to an insular heritage. Yet these traditions also provided a means to critique English conquest, elaborating the problems of centralized sovereignty and the suffering produced by chivalric culture. Texts such as "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," the "Alliterative Morte Arthure," and Caxton's edition of Malory's "Morte Darthur" provide what she terms a "sovereign fantasy" for Britain. That is, Arthurian romance offers a cultural means to explore broad political contestations over British identity and heritage while also detailing the poignant complications and losses that belonging to such a community poses to particular regions and subjects. These contestations and complications emerge in exactly those aspects of the tales usually read as fantasy-for example, in the narratives of Arthur's losses, in the prophecies of his return, and in tales that dwell on death, exotic strangeness, uncanny magic, gender, and sexuality.Ingham's study suggests the nuances of the insular identity that is emphasized in this body of literature. Sovereign Fantasies shows the significance, rather than the irrelevance, of medieval dynastic motifs to projects of national unification, arguing that medieval studies can contribute to our understanding of national formations in part by marking the losses produced by union.

    It curls its tail high so the waves won't get it wet." That's what Gary Nabhan remembers about his first visit to the Seri village in Kino Bay. There he met storyteller Amalia Astorga. She tells him the bittersweet history of Efrain, a sun-blotched lizard. In so doing, she helps him to understand how the Seris have protected a species that everywhere else is endangered. Together Amalia and Gary give young readers an insight into the life and culture of the Seris, an endangered people themselves, but a people who know how to love their land and its inhabitants.Amalia Astorga is a Seri Elder. She lives with her tribe in Desemboque, Sonora in Mexico. She is preserving the herbal knowledge of the Seri hunting-gathering community, as well as songs and stories about native animals.Since 1975, Gary Paul Nabhan has roamed the ancient cactus forests, mesquite grasslands and hidden oases of the Sonoran Desert. His original scholarship integrates conservation biology, agroecology, ethnonutrititon and applied anthropology in unique and unforeseen ways. A co-founder of Native Seeds/SEARCH, he is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, a Pew Scholarship on Conservation and the Environment, the Premio Gaia, and the John Burroughs Medal for natural history writing. He lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.Marketing Plans:o Author tour in the Southwest to include Tucson, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and El Paso.o PostcardsJanet K. Miller, a self-taught artist, makes her home in Tucson, Arizona. She lived and worked in West Africa during most of the 1980s, and started painting in 1993. She does reverse glass painting, painting inside out and backwards on the wrong side of clear glass. The original paintings for Efraín are all done using this technique.

    Includes "Roman Road" plan of salvation.

    What distinguishes this book from previous books on mythology and psychology is that Adams provides so many impressively persuasive examples of how myths appear in contemporary dreams and fantasies.

    This book accompanies an exhibition at the Mint Museum of Art in North Carolina and includes 11 essays from the world's leading authorities on Mesoamerican art and culture. The contributors consider all aspects of ballgames, enactment, gender and symbolic aspects, the regalia worn, performance', the court setting, and the legacy of the game. The catalogue contains many superb colour photographs of figurines, painted and sculpted vessels and relief panels.

    Gods in the Sky reinterprets the meaning and significance of the buildings, art and inscriptions of the ancients, in the light of what historians have recently discovered about early astronomy.

    Nicola Bown explores what the fairy meant to the Victorians, and why they were so captivated by a figure which nowadays seems trivial and childish. She argues that fairies were a fantasy that allowed the Victorians to escape from their worries about science, technology and the effects of progress. The fairyland they dreamed about was a reconfiguration of their own world, and the fairies who inhabited it were like themselves.

    . . “Impressions of the past, markings on earth, are part of the world of Karenne Wood. A member of the Monacan tribe of Virginia, she writes with insight and grace on topics that both reflect and extend her Native heritage.Markings on Earth is a cyclical work that explores the many dimensions of human experience, from our interaction with the environment to personal relationships. In these pages we relive the arrival of John Smith in America and visit the burial mounds of the Monacan people, experience the flight of the great blue heron and witness the dance of the spider. We also share the personal journey of one individual who seeks to overcome her sense of alienation from her people and her past.Wood’s palette is not only Nature but human nature as well. She writes pointedly about shameful episodes of American history, such as the devastation of Appalachia by mining companies and the “disappearance” of Indian peoples. She also addresses forms of everyday violence known to many of us, such as alcoholism and sexual abuse. Wood conveys an acceptance of history and personal trauma, but she finds redemption in a return to tradition and a perception of the world’s natural grace.Through these elegantly crafted words, we come to know that Native writers need not be limited to categorical roles determined by their heritage. Markings on Earth displays a fidelity to human experience, evoking that experience through poems honed to perfection. It is an affirmation of survival, a work that suggests one person’s life cannot be separated from the larger story of its community, its rootedness in history, and its timeless connections to the world.

    Goodchild explains that our most important task is the growth of our consciousness and that this cannot be accomplished apart from an awareness of the complexities of love and its shadows. It takes the us into that domain where eros' arrows thrust us into those shadowy depths where our keenest vulnerabilities and woundings--and our deepest imaginings and longings-are hidden.

    It also covers the books of Moses and Abraham, which are part of the Pearl of Great Price. The guide is divided into numbered sections that correspond with the lessons in the Old Testament Gospel Doctrine course. Each section provides the week's reading assignment, along with questions and other information to enhance your study. You may use the questions to improve personal application of the scriptures and to prepare to make meaningful contributions to class discussions. You may also use the study guide to prompt gospel-centered discussions among family members.

    It tells events in the life of a king in an ancient Sumerian city of Mesopotamia.In the tradition of the Greek Iliad or the medieval Beowulf, the heroic central figure is admired for his prowess and power; he is a warrior, whose greatest adventures are here recounted, sometimes fantastic and ultimately magical, as he ventures beyond the bounds of the world. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an artifact of the first civilization, that which is the father and mother of our own civilization. It is like the great-great-great-grandparent whose name you do not know but without whom you would not exist. There are many matters that are not believable to us—monsters, deities, and places that we do not think exist, nor ever existed. Yet we can perceive in Gilgamesh a person like ourselves. This is the story of a man, not a god. We understand him, even if we do not understand or believe all that he does. Gilgamesh is the first literature of mankind to express the human condition.

    A guide to the historic monuments of Armagh, Down, Louth and Monaghan and the folklore surrounding them, in particular the Ring of Gullion which stands at the heart of South Armagh.

    Many illustrations, including color.

    There, in one of the castle's rooms, lies the sleeping Javanmard, whose heart is pierced by forty pins. If Fatima can spend forty nights at his side, patiently removing the pins, then Javanmard will be hers. But if she should fail, and give in to the temptations of the palace, then she will be forced to know a deeper sense of loneliness than she has ever imagined.Romantic and spellbinding, Margaret Olivia Wolfson's narrative draws us into Fatima's mystical world, while the ethereal beauty of the Prince's palace is portrayed in luxurious detail through the illustrations of Juan Caneba Clavero.

    Through photographs, illustrations, and cut-away, detailed diagrams, each book considers the way religious beliefs affected everything from food, drink, and entertainment to rituals surrounding birth and death.