The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 08 of 12)

Name: The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 08 of 12)
Author: James George Frazer

By James George Frazer

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Archaeology & Anthropology Mythology, Legends & Folklore Religion/Spirituality

About This Book

The work surveys folk beliefs and rituals that personify crop and wild spirits as animals, tracing associations between vegetation deities (such as Dionysus, Demeter, Attis, Adonis, and Osiris) and forms like goats, bulls, pigs, horses, and birds. It examines sacramental practices—eating the god, first-fruit offerings, and animal-killing rites—alongside propitiation of predators and pests, beliefs in human souls transmigrating into animals, and homoeopathic magic tied to flesh diets. Comparative chapters classify types of animal sacraments and processionary and harvest rites, combining ethnographic examples with interpretive discussion of religious symbolism and agricultural ritual.

About the Author

James George Frazer

James George Frazer was a Scottish social anthropologist and folklorist, best known for his seminal work, "The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion." This extensive study explores the connections between mythology, religion, and magic across various cultures, influencing the fields of anthropology and religious studies. Frazer's scholarship delves into themes such as the belief in immortality and the worship of the dead, as seen in his works like "The Belief in Immortality and the Worship of the Dead." His contributions have left a lasting impact on the understanding of cultural practices and the evolution of human thought.