The Ancient Mysteries

Author : Marvin W. Meyer
Publisher : University of Pennsylvania Press
Page : 284 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 1999-05-07
Category : History
ISBN : 081221692X

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The Ancient Mysteries by Marvin W. Meyer Pdf

Zeus and the other gods of shining Olympus were in reality divine only by popular consent. Over the course of time Olympian luster diminished in favor of religious experiences more immediate to the concerns of people living in an increasingly cosmopolitan ancient world. These experiences were provided by the mysteries, religions that flourished particularly during the Hellenistic period and were secretly practiced by groups of adherents who decided, through personal choice, to be initiated into the profound realities of one deity or another. Unlike the official state religions, in which people were expected to make an outward show of allegiance to the local gods, the mysteries emphasized an inwardness and privacy of worship within a closed band of initiates. In this book, Marvin W. Meyer explores the sacrifices and prayers, the public celebrations and secret ceremonies, the theatrical performances and literary works, the gods and goddesses that were a part of the mystery religions of Greece in the seventh century B.C. to the Judaism and Christianity of the Roman world of the seventh century A.D.

Author : Alan Landsburg,Sally Landsburg
Publisher : Corgi
Page : 244 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 1974
Category : Reference
ISBN : UOM:39015058734859

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In Search of Ancient Mysteries by Alan Landsburg,Sally Landsburg Pdf

The evidence is overwhelming! Before human history was written a race of beings traveled to Earth across the voides of space. This book is the most explosive inquiry into man's beginnings since Darwin challenged the Bible!

Author : Robert Ellis Cahill
Publisher : Old Saltbox
Page : 92 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 1993
Category : History
ISBN : 0962616249

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New England's Ancient Mysteries by Robert Ellis Cahill Pdf

"Called the ""Reader's Digest of New England Archaeology,"" by experts in the field, this book covers all finds and sits by amateur and professional ancient artifact hunters since America was first settled. Hundreds of messages were cut into stone by unknown ancient settlers. Carved faces, well-made homes of rock, Celtic ritual sites, dolmens, and other ancient remnants are scattered throughout the New England states, making it quite apparent that visitors from other lands lived here hundreds of years before Columbus discovered America. Ancient coins, weapons, lamps, containers and art objects have been uncovered as well -- all well documented and described, with photos in this fascinating book."

Author : Hugh Bowden
Publisher : Thames & Hudson
Page : 314 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2023-09-07
Category : History
ISBN : 9780500778623

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Mystery Cults in the Ancient World by Hugh Bowden Pdf

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.

Author : Brian M. Fagan
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 312 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : Civilization, Ancient
ISBN : 0500510504

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The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Ancient World by Brian M. Fagan Pdf

Describes various issues in mythology and prehistoric and ancient history, from the Garden of Eden to the effects of meteor impacts, including tombs, writing systems, and the fall of civilizations, and suggests explanations.

Author : Karen Latchana Kenney
Publisher : Lerner Publications ™
Page : 32 pages
File Size : 47,8 Mb
Release : 2017-08-01
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN : 9781512468434

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Mysteries of the Egyptian Pyramids by Karen Latchana Kenney Pdf

Massive pyramids tower over the Giza Plateau near Cairo, Egypt. Built in the Bronze Age, these immense stone structures were engineered with remarkable precision. How did the ancient Egyptians construct them without the use of modern tools? Why were they built? Throughout the centuries, historians and archaeologists have studied the pyramids and other Egyptian artifacts in search of possible answers to these questions. The pyramids are filled with mysterious doors and passageways—what other secrets and treasures might lie inside? Find out more about the myths, science, and technology surrounding the creation and exploration of the Egyptian pyramids.

Author : Jan N. Bremmer
Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Page : 366 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2014-07-28
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9783110376999

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Initiation into the Mysteries of the Ancient World by Jan N. Bremmer Pdf

The ancient Mysteries have long attracted the interest of scholars, an interest that goes back at least to the time of the Reformation. After a period of interest around the turn of the twentieth century, recent decades have seen an important study of Walter Burkert (1987). Yet his thematic approach makes it hard to see how the actual initiation into the Mysteries took place. To do precisely that is the aim of this book. It gives a ‘thick description’ of the major Mysteries, not only of the famous Eleusinian Mysteries, but also those located at the interface of Greece and Anatolia: the Mysteries of Samothrace, Imbros and Lemnos as well as those of the Corybants. It then proceeds to look at the Orphic-Bacchic Mysteries, which have become increasingly better understood due to the many discoveries of new texts in the recent times. Having looked at classical Greece we move on to the Roman Empire, where we study not only the lesser Mysteries, which we know especially from Pausanias, but also the new ones of Isis and Mithras. We conclude our book with a discussion of the possible influence of the Mysteries on emerging Christianity. Its detailed references and up-to-date bibliography will make this book indispensable for any scholar interested in the Mysteries and ancient religion, but also for those scholars who work on initiation or esoteric rituals, which were often inspired by the ancient Mysteries.

Author : Gerald Massey
Publisher : Cosimo, Inc.
Page : 58 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2008-01-01
Category : History
ISBN : 9781605203065

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Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Mysteries of Amenta by Gerald Massey Pdf

There is no death in the Osirian religion, only decay and change, and periodic renewal; only evolution and transformation in the domain of matter and the transubstantiation into spirit. In the so-called death of Osiris it is rebirth, not death, exactly the same as in the changes of external nature. At the close of the day the solar orb went down and left the sun god staring blankly in the dark of death. Taht the moon god met him in Amenta with the eye of Horus as the light the was to illuminate the darkness of the subterranean world. from Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Mysteries of Amenta It goes unappreciated by modern Egyptologists, but it is embraced by those who savor the concept of a hidden history of humanity, and those who approach all human knowledge from the perspective of the esoteric. Gerard Massey 's massive Ancient Egypt: The Light of the World first published in 1907 and the crowning achievement of the self-taught scholar redefines the roots of Christianity via Egypt, proposing that Egyptian mythology was the basis for Jewish and Christian beliefs. Here, Cosimo proudly presents Book 4 of Ancient Egypt, in which Massey discusses the Egyptian Book of the Dead as the pre-Christian word of God, and explores the idea that Amenta, the threshold to the Egyptian underworld, is the first overt expression of a human desire for a noncorporeal afterlife. Massey goes on to connect the mystery of the mummy to the mystery of the Christ by likening the Christian dogma of physical resurrection to the Egyptian impetus for mummification. Peculiar and profound, this work will intrigue and delight readers of history, religion, and mythology. British author GERALD MASSEY (1828 1907) published works of poetry, spiritualism, Shakespearean criticism, and theology, but his best-known works are in the realm of Egyptology, including A Book of the Beginnings and The Natural Genesis.

Author : Walter Burkert
Publisher : Harvard University Press
Page : 196 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 1989-10-15
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780674253155

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Ancient Mystery Cults by Walter Burkert Pdf

The foremost historian of Greek religion provides the first comprehensive, comparative study of a little-known aspect of ancient religious beliefs and practices. Secret mystery cults flourished within the larger culture of the public religion of Greece and Rome for roughly a thousand years. This book is neither a history nor a survey but a comparative phenomenology, concentrating on five major cults. In defining the mysteries and describing their rituals, membership, organization, and dissemination, Walter Burkert displays the remarkable erudition we have come to expect of him; he also shows great sensitivity and sympathy in interpreting the experiences and motivations of the devotees.

Author : Glenn Kreisberg
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 328 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 2012-10-03
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 9781591438052

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Mysteries of the Ancient Past by Glenn Kreisberg Pdf

Cutting-edge thinkers on the origins of civilization, the Giza pyramids, pre-Columbian and early America, and the power of human consciousness • With contributions by David Frawley, Geoff Stray, Joscelyn Godwin, Daniel Pinchbeck, Antoine Gigal, and others • Topics range from the origins of the Inca to the architecture of the Giza plateau to unified theories of physics and consciousness • Companion volume to Lost Knowledge of the Ancients As we pull back the curtain from the European version of history, we discover the vast depth of knowledge of our ancient ancestors--knowledge that not only dispels our image of them as primitive peoples but also corresponds with the forefront of modern science, philosophy, and spirituality. With contributions by David Frawley, Geoff Stray, Joscelyn Godwin, Daniel Pinchbeck, Antoine Gigal, and other provocative, cutting-edge thinkers, this collection of essays commissioned by Graham Hancock, bestselling author of Fingerprints of the Gods, represents the latest, often controversial findings in alternative science, history, archaeology, and consciousness research. Covering topics ranging from the origins of the Inca and the secrets hidden in Vedic literature, to the architecture of the Giza pyramids and the Sphinx, to unified theories of physics and consciousness, this book shows how, by recovering our lost history, we too can experience the higher consciousness and advanced wisdom of the ancients.

Author : Peter Haining
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 1976
Category : Short stories, English
ISBN : 0722142536

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The Ancient Mysteries Reader by Peter Haining Pdf

Author : Charles E. Sellier
Publisher : Dell
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 1995
Category : Antiquities
ISBN : 0440218055

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Mysteries of the Ancient World by Charles E. Sellier Pdf

How did the gigantic stones get to Stonehenge? What are huge, underwater stone walls doing off the coast of the Bahamas--in the place that psychic Edgar Cayce said Atlantis once existed? What are the ancient world's links to the "face" seen on Mars? Join the author in this baffling, intriguing, controversial journey that gets to the heart of each of these mysteries.

Author : M. J. York
Publisher : Scary and Spooky
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2017
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN : 1632353415

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12 Ancient Mysteries by M. J. York Pdf

Examines 12 of the most engaging ancient mysteries. Each spread provides information about a mystery and its ancient and recent discoveries paired with interesting sidebars and questions to consider.

Author : J. C. Vintner
Publisher : AEM Publishing
Page : 101 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2011-09-02
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN : 8210379456XXX

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Ancient Earth Mysteries by J. C. Vintner Pdf

Beginner's Guide to Ancient Earth Mysteries: Is humanity the first creation of intelligent beings? Do similar human-type species exist throughout the cosmos? If so, have those species mastered technologies only to self-destruct in an unfortunate series of events? The Universe is unbelievably enormous, this is undisputed. It's extremely selfish to think we are the only existing intelligent life. Science and religion are on the verge of discovering the truth. Super ancient societies and their archaeological evidence uncovered to this day is a vault of stored information waiting to be unlocked. All we need to do is find the key. Help us uncover the truth by learning about Ancient Earth Mysteries.

Author : Peter James,Nick Thorpe
Publisher : Ballantine Books
Page : 673 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2007-12-18
Category : History
ISBN : 9780307414601

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Ancient Mysteries by Peter James,Nick Thorpe Pdf

What was the Minotaur? Did a Welsh prince discover America? Did Robin Hood really exist? How does the Star of Bethlehem fit into the science of astronomy? Is the Vinland Map a fake? Can archaeologists use spirit messages to guide their work? For centuries, philosophers, scientists, and charlatans have attempted to decipher the baffling mysteries of our past, from the Stonehenge to the lost continent of Atlantis. Today, however, DNA testing, radiocarbon dating, and other cutting-edge investigative tools, together with a healthy dose of common sense, are guiding us closer to the truth. Peter James and Nick Thorpe, the professional historian and archaeologist team who created the acclaimed Ancient Inventions, now tackle these age-old conundrums, presenting the latest information from the scientific community--and the most startling challenges to traditional explanations of mysteries such as: - The rise and fall of the Maya - A lost cache of Dead Sea Scrolls - The curse of Tutankhamun - The devastation of Sodom and Gomorrah - The Nazca Lines These true mystery stories twist and turn like a good whodunit, as James and Thorpe present the evidence for and against the expert theories, shedding new light on humankind's age-old struggle to make sense of the past. The authors also make dramatic contributions of their own to the fray, demonstrating persuasively that cataustrophic events--including the collisions of comets with the Earth long ago--could explain puzzles that have baffled experts for centuries. Ancient Mysteries will entertain and enlighten, delight the curious and inform the serious.