The Origins of the World's Mythologies - Softcover

Witzel, E.J. Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199812853 ISBN 13: 9780199812851

Publisher: Oxford University Press, Usa, 2013

Synopsis

This remarkable book is the most ambitious work on mythology since that of the renowned Mircea Eliade, who all but single-handedly invented the modern study of myth and religion. Focusing on the oldest available texts, buttressed by data from archeology, comparative linguistics and human population genetics, Michael Witzel reconstructs a single original African source for our collective myths, dating back some 100,000 years. Identifying features shared by this "Out of Africa" mythology and its northern Eurasian offshoots, Witzel suggests that these common myths-recounted by the communities of the "African Eve"-are the earliest evidence of ancient spirituality. Moreover these common features, Witzel shows, survive today in all major religions. Witzel's book is an intellectual hand grenade that will doubtless generate considerable excitement-and consternation-in the scholarly community. Indeed, everyone interested in mythology will want to grapple with Witzel's extraordinary hypothesis about the spirituality of our common ancestors, and to understand what it tells us about our modern cultures and the way they are linked at the deepest level.

About this title

Review:

A radical idea. (Steve Connor, The Independent)

His novel approach brings a different perspective to the myths he analyzes. By all rights, this book should provoke debate and is, therefore, indispensable to any research library ... Essential. (G.J. Reece, CHOICE)

About the Author:

E.J. Michael Witzel is Wales Professor of Sanskrit at Harvard University.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, Usa
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0199812853
• ISBN 13: 9780199812851
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 688