Animals and Shaman : Ancient Religions of Central Asia

by Baldick, Julian

• ISBN13: 9780814798720
• ISBN10: 0814798721
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-09-01
• Publisher: New York University Press

Summary

Animal and Shamanpresents a comparative survey of the ancient customs and religions of Central Asia. The Pre-Christian and Pre-Muslim peoples of the region, such as the Huns, Scythians, Turks, Mongols, Manchus, Finns and Hungarians, shared a number of traditions and rituals. Characteristics observed by anthropologists today may be traced directly back to an ancient past.In ancient times there were remarkable commonalities in the forms of worship and spiritual expression among the different peoples of Inner Eurasia, all largely based on the role of animals in their lives. The harsh physical climate of the region led to an emphasis on hunting and animals, in contrast to the fertility rites common in more agriculturally hospitable areas. These characteristics have survived not only in the legends of the region, but have also found their way into the mythologies of the West. Baldick proposes that the myths, rituals, and epics of Central Asia served as possible foundations for such great works at theOdyssey,the Gospels, andBeowulf,which seem to have precursors in Iranian and Inner Eurasian tales.

Author Biography

Julian Baldick is Lecturer in Comparative Religion at King's College in London

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	viii
Introduction	1	(14)
Early Inner Eurasia	15	(23)
The Turks	38	(54)
The Mongols	92	(34)
The Tunguz and the Manchus	126	(24)
Conclusions	150	(21)
Notes	171	(18)
Bibliography	189	(4)
Index One: Names of Persons, Deities etc.	193	(5)
Index Two: Names of Peoples	198	(3)
Index Three: Subjects	201