For more than 3,000 years, from the ancient Xia dynasty to today's People's Republic of China, China has sustained one of the most advanced and culturally productive civilizations in the world. Renowned for the Great Wall of China, porcelain ceramics, a complex writing system, and philosophles such as Confucianism and Taoism, China is also the source of an impressive tradition of myth and folklore. Many deities, stories, places, and ideas populate Chinese mythology, and Chinese Mythology A to Z offers a readable introduction to these and other related topics.
This work offers a unique approach to humanity's fascination with flying. Rather than merely tracing the factual prehistory of flight up to the success of the Wright brothers, Singer considers the interaction and influence of our dreams, fantasies, culture and technology on the age-old quest to fly. The narrative begins with the deities and other denizens of the heavens that humanity has created in its religion, literature and art.
Product Description: The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses contains one of the most comprehensive listings and descriptions of Egyptian deities. Now in its second edition, it provides:
* A new introduction * Updated entries and four new entries on deities * Names of the deities as hieroglyphs * A survey of gods and goddesses as they appear in classical literature * An expanded chronology and updated bibliography, together with a list of relevant websites * Drawings of the gods and emblems of each district * A map of ancient Egypt and a time chart
Presenting a vivid picture of the complexity and richness of imagery in Egyptian mythology, students studying Ancient Egypt, travelers, visitors to museums and all those interested in mythology will find this an invaluable resource
Communication is at the heart of all religions. As an essential aspect of religion, communication occurs between believers, between religious leaders and followers, between proponents of different faiths, and even between practitioners and the deities. The desire to communicate with as well as convert others is also an aspect of some of the world's major religions.
Added by: Natalis | Karma: 180.04 | Fiction literature | 3 September 2007
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Roman Mythology
The Roman mythology we know today evolved over hundreds of years. Myths about the earliest Roman deities are different from most traditional myths that explain the actions of gods and goddesses or try to make sense of unexplainable events in nature. Roman myths give reasons for the rituals, ceremonies, and festivals held in honor of specific deities who represented important functions in daily life. The rituals, however, came first — then myths were created to go with the deities being honored.