Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog Project Gutenberg 2012-12-06 Public domain in the USA. 1768 Frazer, James George 1854 1941 Frazer, Sir James George Frazer, J. G. (James George) The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 04 of 12) Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Bough "The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion" by James George Frazer is a scientific publication written in the early 20th century. This exhaustive work explores the interconnections between various ancient religious practices, rituals, and beliefs, particularly focusing on the concept of divine kingship and the symbolism of death and rebirth in mythology. This volume delves into themes such as the mortality of gods and the ceremonial killing of divine kings, suggesting that these practices stemmed from the belief that a ruler’s vitality was intrinsically linked to the prosperity of their people. At the start of the text, Frazer introduces the complex relationship between divinity and mortality in religious contexts, positing intriguing theories on why cultures historically sacrificed their kings. He opens with an analysis of the notion of immortality among early humans, transitioning into a discussion of the necessity of violent death for divine kings as a means to rejuvenate their sacred powers. Through various examples, including the customs surrounding the Shilluk people and their belief in the king’s life force being crucial for the health of their land, Frazer illustrates how culturally ingrained beliefs about kingship and magical practices shaped societal structures. The opening portion sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the sociocultural significance of these rituals throughout different civilizations. (This is an automatically generated summary.) file:///public/vhost/g/gutenberg/html/files/41572/41572-h/images/cover.jpg Reading ease score: 67.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en Religion Magic Superstition Mythology BL Text Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore Category: Archaeology & Anthropology Category: Religion/Spirituality 1926733 2025-08-16T17:21:16.385743 text/html 2125762 2012-12-06T18:14:52 text/html 483883 2025-08-16T17:21:42.947091 application/epub+zip 525444 2025-08-16T17:21:20.097718 application/epub+zip 2901943 2012-12-06T18:15:58 application/pdf 507692 2025-08-16T17:21:18.116713 application/epub+zip 951553 2025-08-16T17:21:59.250053 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 699808 2025-08-16T17:21:41.183091 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 682451 2022-09-19T04:46:44.761880 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 847210 2025-08-16T17:21:12.220748 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 848097 2020-06-15T15:29:38 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 856859 2012-12-06T18:15:59 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 857133 2012-12-06T18:15:59 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 27036 2025-08-16T17:21:59.439020 application/rdf+xml 1007961 2012-12-06T18:15:59 application/prs.tei 10206 2025-08-16T17:21:18.494708 image/jpeg 2293 2025-08-16T17:21:18.306699 image/jpeg 315720 2020-06-15T15:29:38 application/octet-stream application/zip 315694 2012-12-06T18:15:59 application/octet-stream application/zip 463179 2012-12-06T18:14:53 application/octet-stream application/zip 857587 2012-12-06T18:15:58 application/octet-stream application/zip 382535 2012-12-06T18:16:00 application/octet-stream application/zip 315247 2012-12-06T18:15:59 application/octet-stream application/zip 442744 2025-08-16T17:21:16.505770 application/octet-stream application/zip en.wikipedia