Epic of Early Civilization - Middle Eastern Mythology

Author: None
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Various legends and myths about ancient Mesopotamian civilization have been buried beneath the desert for centuries, waiting for archaeologists one day to reveal them to the modern world. One such story describes the wrath of the goddess Ishtar. After being rejected by the heroic king Gilgamesh, the goddess sought revenge by inciting her father to release the divine bull. With a single snort, the bull would split the ground open, causing hundreds of young men to fall into the and be crushed to death. Gilgamesh fought fiercely and killed the bull, cutting off its horns, which he brought home and hung on his bedside as a trophy. Similar bizarre and vivid stories abound, all collected in the newly published Epic of Early Civilizations - Middle Eastern Myths.
The Myths and Humanity series examines world myths and their historical origins from a cultural perspective, offering an unprecedented way for modern people to experience ancient cultures through enchanting myths. This series is like a unique encyclopedia of world myths. Each book presents stories, mysterious rituals, wrathful deities, fantastical explorations, and magical symbols, which are the core cultural elements but are often overlooked in history textbooks. These myths are crucial in helping us understand how humanity has sought answers to life, death, creation, love, and other life mysteries throughout history. These myths exist at the intersection and overlap of imagination and history, wisdom and experience, dreams and reality. These captivating myths are timeless classics, cherished for centuries and becoming the most beautiful legacies of all time. Who can forget the story of Dionysus, the god of wine and festivities, born from the thigh of the Greek supreme god Zeus? Who can forget the Aztec feathered serpent god? He leaped into the fire, released a flock of birds, and thus created Venus.
Each book is accompanied by rich color illustrations, including sacred site ruins, totemic symbols, artistic paintings, and mythological figures. For example, you can see the legendary Holy Grail in the book, as well as the shamanic masks of the Native Americans of the Americas. The books also include historical overviews, maps, and glossaries. The titles span time and space, such as Prehistoric Heroes - Celtic Myths and The Lost Golden Land - South American Myths, among others.
To select these ancient myths and related images for the readers, the editors of Time-Life Books have compiled ancient primary sources from around the world and collaborated with top experts to place the myths in their historical context. For example, in Prehistoric Heroes - Celtic Myths, the book examines whether King Arthur truly existed and where he might have lived. In Earth and Sky Parents - Native American Myths, it connects the Native Americans' myths about the land with their actual struggles to preserve it.
Throughout the series, it reflects the crystallization of human thought, experience, and wisdom over millennia, celebrating and preserving humanity's finest essence and most beautiful dreams. Readers will gain joy, inspiration, and enlightenment from it. Moreover, these myths will help us redefine history and view the world with a new perspective.