Paths of the Ancients: Appalachia Myths, Legends, and Landscapes of the Southern Highlands

This companion to the above volume leads the reader through a rich collection of Native American myths, pioneer legends, observations of early travelers, and historical narratives of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, along landscapes that have inspired wayfarers for unknown centuries. This journey follows the southern highlands of the Cumberland/Allegheny Mountains of Kentucky and West Virginia and walks along the crests of the Blue Ridge, Black, Unaka, Iron and Smoky Mountains through Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

The rich, full-color photographs beckon to the region's natural areas and embrace the enfolding serenity of deep forests, cascading streams, and uplifting vistas that recall the spiritual quests of ancestors who viewed the Appalachian Mountains as a sacred land to be treated with reverence and awe. A nationally acclaimed photographer, Kenneth Murray's work has appeared in Time, New York Times, People, and Wilderness.

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This volume leads the reader through a rich collection of Native American myths, pioneer legends, observations of early travelers, and historical narratives of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, along landscapes that have inspired wayfarers for unknown centuries. The rich, full-color photographs beckon to the region’s natural areas and embrace the enfolding serenity of deep forests, cascading streams, and uplifting vistas that recall the spiritual quests of ancestors who viewed the Appalachian Mountains as a sacred land to be treated with reverence and awe.

Kenneth Murray is a nationally acclaimed photographer whose work has appeared in Time, New York Times, People, and Wilderness.