The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and FolkloreCourier Corporation, 2012 M04 20 - 336 páginas No creature has provided man with so much wholesome food as the honey bee. Equally impressive is the number of beliefs and superstitions the industrious insect has inspired. Its honey, which was known to the ancient Greeks as the “food of the Gods,” played an important role in early religious rites and was also mentioned in the folklore of many peoples. Hilda Ransome's well-documented and copiously illustrated study of bees focuses on this valuable byproduct of nature and its creator — the "sacred" bee. Chapters cover the folklore of bees and bee culture — from Egyptian, Babylonian, Chinese, Hittite, and other ancient sources as well as practices in modern England, France, and Central Europe. Thirty-five plates of rare black-and-white illustrations depict bees, hives, and beekeepers as they appear in ancient paintings and sculpture, on coins, jewelry, and Mayan glyphs; and carved into African tree trunks. Folk stories from Finland and the bee in America are also described. Hailed by The New York Times as possessing an "oddity, beauty, and broad scholarly interest," this unusual book will attract a wide audience — nature lovers and folklore enthusiasts included. |
Otras ediciones - Ver todas
Términos y frases comunes
ambrosia ancient animals Aristaeus Artemis Assyria Asvins Athenaeus B.C. Fig Babylonia beehive beekeeping beer bees and honey belief Bessler birds body cake called cave Century B.C. ceremony Chapter charm Christ Church Codex comb connected creatures Crete custom dead Demeter devil Dionysus divine drink Dynasty earth Egypt Egyptian field figures filled find fire first flew flies flowers fly Folklore give Glock goddess gods Greek hieroglyph Hittite hives honey and wax honey bees honeycomb Ibid Ilmarinen India insects jars king Knortz Korybantes Kuretes libations lived Lord magic Maya mead Melissa mentioned milk and honey Mordvins mouth myth nectar nymphs olfered Pausanias Polyidus priestesses probably quoted rites sacred bees sacrifice says souls spirits sting story superstitions swarm of bees sweet Symbolik der Bienen telling the bees thee thou Thriae told tree tribes Veddas Vergil wild bees wine woman writes Zeus