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The Evolution of the Dragon

By Grafton Elliot Smith
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Archaeology & AnthropologyMythology, Legends & Folklore

About This Book

A comparative study traces how beliefs about water, kingship, and renewal produced the dragon motif, beginning as a beneficent personification of life-giving waters and associated rulers, then transforming as myths of aging kings, sacrificial demands by a Great Mother figure, and substitutive rituals produced an enemy figure. The work maps parallels between Near Eastern, Indian, Chinese and American iconography and rain-deities, examines conflation with other legendary conflicts, and argues that the dragon narrative evolved through ritual, symbolism, and cultural transmission, illustrated by archaeological and textual examples drawn from mythic and ritual traditions.

About the Author

Smith, Grafton Elliot portrait

Grafton Elliot Smith

Grafton Elliot Smith was an influential British anatomist and anthropologist known for his pioneering work in the study of ancient cultures and their practices. He is particularly recognized for his research on mummification and the migrations of early cultures, as detailed in his notable work "The Migrations of Early Culture." Smith's contributions to the understanding of human history also include his analysis of the significance of geographical distribution in cultural practices. Additionally, he co-authored "Tutankhamen and the Discovery of His Tomb," which reflects his interest in Egyptology and the impact of archaeological discoveries on our understanding of ancient civilizations.

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3 picks
Shell shock and its lessons cover Shell shock and its lessons by Grafton Elliot Smith The migrations of early culture / A study of the significance of the geographical distribution of the practice of mummification as evidence of the migrations of peoples and the spread of certain customs and beliefs cover The migrations of early culture / A study of the significance of the geographical distribution of the practice of mummification as evidence of the migrations of peoples and the spread of certain customs and beliefs by Grafton Elliot Smith Tutankhamen and the Discovery of His Tomb by the Late Earl of Carnarvon and Mr. Howard Carter cover Tutankhamen and the Discovery of His Tomb by the Late Earl of Carnarvon and Mr. Howard Carter by Grafton Elliot Smith

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