A Dictionary of Creation Myths (Oxford Paperback Reference S.)

Description

Every culture has a story about how the world began. From the creation of the cosmos and the first humans to the naming of the stars and the making of the earth, creation myths are some of the oldest and most profound expressions of human thought. David Adams Leeming's A Dictionary of Creation Myths is a comprehensive and accessible survey of these stories, covering dozens of cultural traditions and religious systems. Presented in concise dictionary entries, the book allows you to follow specific myths or browse by culture and tradition. Leeming traces creation accounts from Indigenous Australian traditions to European and Slavic mythology, from African and Native American beliefs to East Asian cosmologies. Each entry explains the key myth and places it within its cultural context, making it an invaluable resource for students of religion, mythology, and cultural history. Published by Oxford University Press, this volume combines rigorous scholarship with readable prose. It is perfect for anyone interested in comparative mythology, anthropology, or simply the fascinating ways that people have answered the most fundamental question: how did we get here?

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