Mythologies of the World introduces readers to the myths, beliefs, traditions, and customs from around the globe and throughout history. An extensive introduction traces the origins and nature of myths, the search for heroes and heroines from living history or human imagination, and key recurrent themes in world mythology, including prehistoric wonders, creation myths, the Earth mothers, god and goddesses, warrior leaders, and the underworld and the afterlife. Subsequent chapters, each written by an expert in the field, examine specific mythologies of different cultures, from the Sumerian, Babylonians, and Assyrians to the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, Indians, Africans, Asians, North and South Americans as well as Australasian and the Oceanic cultures.
Coverage within each chapter include:
* Living one's life in the context of a mythology
* A family tree of gods and their powers
* Historical background to the period
* Works of art depicting the deities, heroes, and legends
* Epic stories
* Location maps.
