The Origins Of The World S Mythologies

Michael Witzel persuasively demonstrates the prehistoric origins of most of the mythologies of Eurasia and the Americas ('Laurasia').

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.

Conveniently sized yet large in scope, National Geographic Essential Visual History of World Mythology an irresistible treasure to own and to give."--BOOK JACKET.

Looks at ancient myths and legends, how they are interpreted today, and what they mean now.

An exploration of myths from around the world with an authoritative text and an inspired selection of images

"This new edition of MYTHOLOGIES is the first complete, authoritative English version of the French classic, Roland Barthes's most emblematic work"--

This book is a fascinating scientific inquiry into the question of how humans came to the existence that we know today. The goal for this book is to serve as a handbook of Comparative Mythology. A large portion of text is dedicated to retelling condensed versions of the ancient myths of the world so that a beginning scholar may attain a worldly knowledge of cultural myths that they can compare independently. In addition to this large body of mythological evidence; a Matrix Method of comparable characters is presented, such that a common thread of history emerges by comparing outlines of stories from around the world. The basic storyline of history includes parts from all religions.The history of the world, as we currently understand it, will dramatically change by three discoveries presented in this book. First is evidence, and mathematical proof, that ancient Earth was struck by a portion of Halley's Comet. Second is discovery of an ancient map of the world encrypted into the body of an ancient fresco. Third is discovery of a Matrix Method giving mathematical probability to characters often thought purely mythical. This book promises to offer the greatest paradigm shift in thinking on human history since Darwin. ...And in doing so, it presents a return to many of the greatest arts and literature stories the world has ever known.In simple real life stories what the Matrix Method means is that the mythological characters of Father Heaven, and Mother Earth show up in most cultural myths as the first set of parents to the world. Sea, and Sun, and Moon, are of the second generation. Thunder and Underworld are of the third generation. Matrix comparison leads to the conclusion that a universal pantheon of founders once existed. Where it gets really interesting is the point where recognizable historic figures relate to the same entities as mythical characters, Zeus is the same person as Ramses 1. Hera is the same person as Nefertiti, and Sara, and Ishtar. This book will be of interest to artists, and scientists, as well as, historians, religious scholars, and storytellers.

From the ancient Greeks to the Aztecs, people across the world have created a rich tapestry of stories, characters, and beliefs to explain the mysteries of creation and the forces of nature and death. Mythology of the World examines both ancient and contemporary cultures and explores their unique myths and legends, carrying every myth across centuries to today's readers. Mythology of the World's sparkling, readable text covers more than fifty myths from Europe, Asia, America, Africa, Australia, and Oceania. It includes a directory of gods, humans, monsters, and animals.