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Myths of the Origin of Fire: An Essay
Hardcover
ISBN13: 9781025857404
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 252
Weight: 1.17
Height: 0.63 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Myths of the Origin of Fire is a profound scholarly exploration into the universal human quest to understand one of civilization's most vital elements. Written by the renowned social anthropologist Sir James George Frazer, this extensive essay surveys a vast array of mythological traditions from across the globe, examining how diverse cultures have conceptualized the discovery and gift of fire.
From the familiar tales of Prometheus in Greek mythology to the legends of indigenous peoples in Australia, Africa, and the Americas, Frazer meticulously categorizes these narratives into distinct stages of human development. The work traces the evolution of fire myths from the Fireless Age through the Age of Fire-Discovery to the Age of Fire-Kindling, offering a comparative analysis that reveals deep-seated psychological and social patterns. Frazer's characteristic erudition and lucid prose guide the reader through a fascinating landscape of folklore, where fire is often stolen from gods, animals, or spirits to benefit humanity.
This study remains a cornerstone of comparative mythology and cultural anthropology, providing invaluable insight into the primitive imagination and the foundational stories that shape our understanding of human progress and the mastery of nature.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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