Ancient Deities: An Encyclopedia
Brand: Brand: McFarland Company
Categories: Books, Reference, Encyclopedias & Subject Guides


Used Book in Good Condition

Dimensions: 9.25 x 1.5 x 11.5 inches
ISBN-13: 978-0786403172
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0786403179
Publisher: McFarland & Company
Print length: 597 pages
Publication date: October 1, 2000
author: Visit Amazon's Charles Russell Coulter Page search results Charles Russell Coulter Patricia Turner
review: Editorial Reviews From Library Journal Though Coulter (a novelist and engineer) and Turner (a writer and researcher) never actually define the parameters of "ancient," the scope of this encyclopedia is broad enough to cover any expectations engendered by that term. Each entry identifies the deity's ethnic group, states his or her status (e.g., "hero," "woodland deity"), explains the deity's lineage, and tells his or her major story. Deities with the same name are distinguished by means of alphabetical tags following each entry. See references for alternate spellings of names are so numerous that some pages are little but that. Cross references are included in the majority of entries, and an index helps to identify deities easily by culture, subject, place, and spelling variant. Many little-known gods from obscure mythologies are included, but the longest entries are still devoted to better-known deities from traditional cultures. This is a valuable resource for quick reference and for beginning research on the topic. Recommended for public and academic libraries. -Katherine K. Koenig, Ellis Sch., Pittsburgh Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist The religious traditions, mythologies, and folklore of the world's cultures all include deities, spirits, and sacred places. This new encyclopedia offers brief descriptions of more than 10,000 gods, spirits, and mythical figures. Entries are arranged alphabetically and include the religion, culture, or geographic region in which a particular deity figures. Variant spellings of names are given as well as other names by which a figure may be known. These variant spellings and alternate names/titles are cross-referenced throughout the text as well as in the index. Brief descriptions of the deity follow and often conclude with see references to other entries. The overwhelming majority of entries are for deities, but some sacred places are included (e.g., Islamic Paradise , Valhalla , but not Delphi). The index is quite complete, listing not only the variant spellings of the entries but also some places and subjects (e.g., Egypt , trees ). Because this work does include many figures from religion, mythology, and folklore the world over, the inclusion of several indexes would have made it more useful. The entries are listed alphabetically and not grouped, say, by geography, religious tradition, or type of deity. Therefore, a user interested in fertility gods but not knowing the name of any one in particular is forced to read through the entries to find one or several. Although a supplemental bibliography is included for the entire source, the quality of individual entries would have been enhanced had they, too, included bibliographic references. Many deities are mentioned in primary texts or described more completely in secondary sources. For example, the entry for Eumolpus, the mythical king of Thrace, would be more informative and helpful if users were directed to the passages in Plutarch, Apollodorus, and others where stories about him are recounted. Such references would also serve as a mechanism for verifying information imparted in entries. Two other sources treat much of the same material. The first is Guide to the Gods (ABC-CLIO, 1991). In this source, entries are alphabetically arranged in categories (e.g., "Atmospheric Deities") and include references to secondary sources. The second is the Facts On File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend (Facts On File, 1988). Entries are generally longer, so fewer are included, but separate indexes are provided for variant spelling and culture/ethnicity. Except that it has many more entries, Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities is not much of an improvement on either. However, some entries found in one resource do not appear in the other two, so the three can complement each other. Academic and large public libraries in need of resources on this topic should purchase this work, but do so knowing the information it contains can be brief and misleading at times. Review "A perfect reference book for any library...usage will be immense...an essential purchase" -- Reference Reviews "A tremendous reference source for any collection, heartily recommended" -- Choice "Provides much information...a good resource" -- ARBA About the Author Patricia Turner is a writer and researcher in Daly City, California. The late Charles Russell Coulter was a novelist and engineer. Read more