Name: Hugh Bowden
Brand: Mystery Cults in the Ancient World

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

9780500297278

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Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format Books GB

Hardback

Format detail

Limited edition

Release date

2023-08-03

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Hachette

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Artist

Mystery Cults in the Ancient World

Genre GB

Counter Culture

Label GB

Thames and Hudson

Thames & Hudson is an international publisher of beautifully illustrated books. With a passion for visual culture, their titles cover a wide range of subjects including art, architecture, design, fashion, popular culture, photography, history, lifestyle, children’s and gift.

Founded in 1949 by Walter and Eva Neurath, Thames & Hudson remains an independent family-owned company. Today they are one of the world’s leading publishers of illustrated books with over 2,000 titles in print.

Headquartered in London with a sister company in New York and subsidiaries in Melbourne, Singapore and Hong Kong. In Paris, their subsidiary company Interart distributes English-language books throughout France.

A landmark study of ancient Greek and Roman cults, from the nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis to the cults of Dionysus and Mithras.

Mystery cults are one of the most intriguing areas of Greek and Roman religion. In the nocturnal mysteries at Eleusis, participants dramatically re-enacted the story of Demeter's loss and recovery of her daughter Persephone; in Bacchic cult, bands of women ran wild in the Greek countryside to honour Dionysus; in the mysteries of Mithras, men came to understand the nature of the universe and their place within it through frightening initiation ceremonies and astrological teachings.

These cults were an important part of life in the ancient Mediterranean world, but their actual practices were shrouded in secrecy, and much of what they were about has remained unclear until now. This is the first book to describe and explain all the major mystery cults of the ancient world, cult by cult, reconstructing the rituals and exploring their origins. It makes plentiful use of artistic and archaeological evidence, as well as ancient literature and epigraphy. Greek painted pottery, Roman frescoes, inscribed gold tablets from Greek and South Italian tombs and the excavated sites of ancient religious sanctuaries all contribute to our understanding of ancient mystery cults.

 Making use of the most recent work on these cults, the book is also informed by crucial current work on the anthropology and cognitive science of religion.Not only is this clearly written book a significant contribution to the study of these cults, but it is also accessible to a general readership. More than any other book on ancient religion, it allows the reader to understand what it was like to participate in these life-transforming religious events.

Hugh Bowden

Books GB