E-Book Overview
Complementing our enormously successful offerings on the bible and history, National Geographic Essential Visual History of World Mythology encompasses myths and creation stories from around the globe. It presents a palm-size overview of culture-defining myths, from ancient Egyptian deities to the Vedic gods of India...from Maya, Inca, and Aztec legends to the Dream time of the Aborigines. This is a must-have resource for anyone who wants to know more about the stories that have shaped societies for millennia. The innovative formatwith timelines, sidebars, and self-contained interactive spreadsgives readers a variety of entry points depending on their interest level. The editors of the Essential series have enhanced this book’s resource value by including such elements as numbered picture references that match each image with its historical era as discussed in the text, and cross references to related topics at the bottom of the page. Conveniently sized yet large in scope, it reflects National Geographic’s authority and credibility in the category of world culture and peoples.Those fascinated by Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, a classic backlist title on the Greek myths, will find this illustrated world survey richly satisfying. Accessible, absorbing, and affordable, it will delight casual browsers and mythology buffs alikeand the very attractive retail price of $15.95, for a 500+-page lavishly illustrated hardcover, makes National Geographic Essential Visual History of World Mythology an irresistible treasure to own and to give.
E-Book Content
National Geographic
Essential Visual History of World Mythology
National Geographic
Essential Visual History of World Mythology
o
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Washington, D.C.
• Table of Contents
12 Elements of the Book
ID Ancient Near Eastern Mythology
Hierarchy ofthe Ancient Near Eastern gods, see p. 31
16 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58
Introduction The Creation of the Un iverse The Creation of Humanity Divine Bri ngers of Culture The Battle of the Gods The Flood
An and Enlil Enki The Tower of Babel
Nanna Inana/lshtar Utu/Shamash Marduk and Assur The Underworld The Epic of Gilgamesh Naram-Sin Teshub and Kumarbi EI and Baal Ahura Mazda Ormuzd and Ariman Mithra
m Egyptian Mythology 62 Introduction
Thoth invents hieroglyphics, see p. 99
68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92
The Great Mystery of the Pyramids
Heliopolitan and Hermopolitan Theogonies Memphite Theogony Geb and Nut Osiris Isis Seth Horus Deified Rulers and Other Mortals
Amun-Re Temple of Luxor
Aten Hathor
94 96 98 100 102 104
•
Anubis Journey Through the Underworld
Thoth Khnum Maat Animal Gods
1m Greek Mythology 108 1 14 116 1 18 120 122 124 126 128 130 132 134 136 138 140 142 144 146 148 150 152 154 156 158 160 162 164 166 168 170 172 174 176 178
I n troduction Gaia and Uranus The Titans The War of the Giants
Zeus Zeus Pandora's Box
Hera Poseidon Demeter Apollo The Oracle of Delphi
A rtemis Athena Ares Aphrodite Birth of Aphrodite
Eros Hermes Hephaestus Hestia Hades and Persephone The Underworld
Orpheus Dionysus The Dionysia
Heracles Prometheus Cultural Heroes Sisyphus
Nymphs and Muses Monsters and Gia nts Magical Creatures Minos and the Minotaur
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Persephone and the pomegranate seed, see p. 154
• 180 Perseus 182 186 188 190
Ovid's Metamorphoses, seep. 212
Jason and