The Evolution of the Dragon

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, New Age, History, Fiction & Literature
Cover of the book The Evolution of the Dragon by G. Elliot Smith, Library of Alexandria
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: G. Elliot Smith ISBN: 9781465544865
Publisher: Library of Alexandria Publication: March 8, 2015
Imprint: Language: English
Author: G. Elliot Smith
ISBN: 9781465544865
Publisher: Library of Alexandria
Publication: March 8, 2015
Imprint:
Language: English
Some explanation is due to the reader of the form and scope of these elaborations of the lectures which I have given at the John Rylands Library during the last three winters. The study of the development of the belief in water's life-giving attributes, and their personification in the gods Osiris, Ea, Soma [Haoma] and Varuna, prepared the way for the elucidation of the history of "Dragons and Rain Gods" in my next lecture (Chapter II). What played a large part in directing my thoughts dragon-wards was the discussion of certain representations of the Indian Elephant upon Precolumbian monuments in, and manuscripts from, Central America (Nature, 25 Nov., 1915; 16 Dec., 1915; and 27 Jan., 1916). For in the course of investigating the meaning of these remarkable designs I discovered that the Elephant-headed rain-god of America had attributes identical with those of the Indian Indra (and of Varuna and Soma) and the Chinese dragon. The investigation of these identities established the fact that the American rain-god was transmitted across the Pacific from India via Cambodia. The intensive study of dragons impressed upon me the importance of the part played by the Great Mother, especially in her Babylonian avatar as Tiamat, in the evolution of the famous wonder-beast. Under the stimulus of Dr. Rendel Harris's Rylands Lecture on "The Cult of Aphrodite," I therefore devoted my next address (14 November, 1917) to the "Birth of Aphrodite" and a general discussion of the problems of Olympian obstetrics. Each of these addresses was delivered as an informal demonstration of large series of lantern projections; and, as Mr. Guppy insisted upon the publication of the lectures in the Bulletin, it became necessary, as a rule, many months after the delivery of each address, to rearrange my material and put into the form of a written narrative the story which had previously been told mainly by pictures and verbal comments upon them
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Some explanation is due to the reader of the form and scope of these elaborations of the lectures which I have given at the John Rylands Library during the last three winters. The study of the development of the belief in water's life-giving attributes, and their personification in the gods Osiris, Ea, Soma [Haoma] and Varuna, prepared the way for the elucidation of the history of "Dragons and Rain Gods" in my next lecture (Chapter II). What played a large part in directing my thoughts dragon-wards was the discussion of certain representations of the Indian Elephant upon Precolumbian monuments in, and manuscripts from, Central America (Nature, 25 Nov., 1915; 16 Dec., 1915; and 27 Jan., 1916). For in the course of investigating the meaning of these remarkable designs I discovered that the Elephant-headed rain-god of America had attributes identical with those of the Indian Indra (and of Varuna and Soma) and the Chinese dragon. The investigation of these identities established the fact that the American rain-god was transmitted across the Pacific from India via Cambodia. The intensive study of dragons impressed upon me the importance of the part played by the Great Mother, especially in her Babylonian avatar as Tiamat, in the evolution of the famous wonder-beast. Under the stimulus of Dr. Rendel Harris's Rylands Lecture on "The Cult of Aphrodite," I therefore devoted my next address (14 November, 1917) to the "Birth of Aphrodite" and a general discussion of the problems of Olympian obstetrics. Each of these addresses was delivered as an informal demonstration of large series of lantern projections; and, as Mr. Guppy insisted upon the publication of the lectures in the Bulletin, it became necessary, as a rule, many months after the delivery of each address, to rearrange my material and put into the form of a written narrative the story which had previously been told mainly by pictures and verbal comments upon them

More books from Library of Alexandria

Cover of the book Civilisation: Its Cause and Cure and Other Essays by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book Constantinople: The Story of the Old Capital of the Empire by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book Autobiography of a Female Slave by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book Boy Woodburn: A Story of the Sussex Downs by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book A Creature of the Night: An Italian Enigma by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book Makers of Many Things by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book California: The Land of the Sun by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book The American Empire by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book The Mystery of the Four Fingers by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book Yang Chu's Garden of Pleasure by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book Canada in Flanders (Complete) by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book Korean Tales: Being a Collection of Stories Translated from The Korean Folk Lore by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book Portraits Littéraires (Complete) by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book Life Histories of North American Wood Warblers Part One and Part Two by G. Elliot Smith
Cover of the book The Natural History of Cage Birds: Their Management, Habits, Food, Diseases, Treatment, Breeding and the Methods of Catching Them by G. Elliot Smith
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy