The dancing goddesses : folklore, archaeology, and the origins of European dance /
Barber, E. J. W.,1940-
New York ; London : W.W. Norton,
c2013.
An ethnographic and archaeological exploration of ancient traditions and folklore pertaining to "dancing goddesses" traces their roots in early Roman, Greek, and European cultures to reveal the origins of modern customs.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 381-400) and index.
Introduction: Dancing as life : how dance was thought to bring life -- I. Dancing the year : the ritual cycle of fertility -- Swan maidens, mermaids, and tree spirits -- Marking time -- To bring the spring -- Dancing up a storm -- Crazy week--Rusalia week -- Flowers with powers -- Midsummer Rusalii -- Friday, St. Friday -- The twelve days of Christmas -- II. Bride-dancing for fertility: the frog princess -- The cosmic arrow -- Bride testing -- Trial by dance -- The magic sleeve dance -- Second skins -- The hut on chicken legs -- Koshchey the deathless -- III. Dancing back through time -- Medieval traces -- Roman showbiz -- Dancing with the Greeks -- Back to the Bronze Age -- Dancing at the dawn of agriculture -- IV. Gotta dance! -- Keeping together in time -- Dancing the time warp -- Epilogue: dancing divinity.
An ethnographic and archaeological exploration of ancient traditions and folklore pertaining to "dancing goddesses" traces their roots in early Roman, Greek, and European cultures to reveal the origins of modern customs.
Folklore
Folklore
Goddesses
Agriculture
Folk dancing
Folk dancing
Ethnoarchaeology
Ethnoarchaeology