Comparative MythologyIn myth, author Puhvel argues, a human group expresses the thought patterns by which it formulates self-cognition and self-realization, attains self-knowledge and self-confidence, explains its own sources and sometimes tries to chart its destinies. Here, Puhvel unravels the prehistoric origins of the traditions of India and Iran, Greece and Rome, of the Celts, Germans, Balts, and Slavs. Utilizing the methodologies of historical linguistics and archaeology, he reconstructs a shared prehistorical religious, mythological, and cultural heritage. Separate chapters on individual traditions as well as on recurrent themes give life to the book as both a general introduction and a detailed reference.--From publisher description. |
Contents
The Study of Myth | 7 |
Creation Myth in the Ancient Near East | 21 |
The Concepts IndoEuropean and IndoIranian | 33 |
God and Warrior | 241 |
King and Virgin | 256 |
Horse and Ruler | 269 |
Fire in Water | 277 |
Twin and Brother | 284 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Adityas ancient anthropogony Arjuna Aryaman Asia aśvamedha Aśvins attested Avestan Baltic Bhisma brahmin brother Celtic century B.C.E. chap chapter cognate comparative mythology cult culture daughter death deities demon Dhṛtarāṣṭra divine Dyaus East epic epithet Etruscan etymologically euhemerized father figure fire Fomoire Freyr Gaulish Germanic giant goddess gods Greece Greek Haoma heaven Heimdalr Herakles hero heroic Hittite horse hymns India Indic Indo Indo-European Indo-Iranian Indra Iran Iranian Ireland Irish Jupiter killed kind king Kṛṣṇa kṣatriya later Latin literally Lithuanian Loki lore magic Mahābhārata Mars matches Medb millennium Mithra myth mythical Njörðr Odin Odin's Old Norse original Pāṇḍavas pantheon parallel patron priestly Ragnarök Rāma reflects religion Rig-Veda ritual Roman Rome Romulus Rudra Russian sacrifice saga Sanskrit Saxo Śiśupāla Sītā Skaði Slavic solar sons Starkaðr story Thor Thor's tion tradition transfunctional Triśiras Tuatha twin Vasus Vedic warrior Xšaēta xvarǝnah Yama Yayāti Yayati's Yudhisthira Zeus Zoroastrian