Project Gutenberg 2013-07-09 Public domain in the USA. 714 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. 11 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 scholarly work that serves as an extensive examination of mythology and religious practices, written in the early 20th century. This anthropological study explores the connections between ancient rituals, magic, and religion, particularly focusing on fertility rites, fire festivals, and the symbolic significance of various natural phenomena in cultural practices. The text likely appeals to readers interested in anthropology, mythology, and the historical foundations of religious beliefs. The opening portion of the text introduces the concept of fire festivals observed around the world, emphasizing their roles in agricultural rituals and community purification. Frazer draws parallels between various fire-walking customs, such as those in India, China, and among the Hottentots, explaining the belief that these rites serve to banish evil spirits or impurities, often associated with witchcraft. Furthermore, he discusses how these rituals may include elements of sympathetic magic, suggesting a deep-rooted cultural significance behind the ceremonies. This segment sets the stage for a broader analysis of human sacrifice and effigy burning as remnants of ancient ritual practices, highlighting the intricate relationship between magic, religion, and societal norms throughout history. (This is an automatically generated summary.) file:///public/vhost/g/gutenberg/html/files/43433/43433-h/images/cover.jpg Reading ease score: 71.8 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Religion Magic Superstition Mythology BL Text Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore Category: Archaeology & Anthropology Category: Religion/Spirituality 3165108 2025-07-17T12:42:52.104942 text/html 3527853 2013-08-09T19:11:44 text/html 646965 2025-07-17T12:43:34.614734 application/epub+zip 712097 2025-07-17T12:42:58.084893 application/epub+zip 4284143 2013-08-09T19:13:42 application/pdf 693115 2025-07-17T12:42:54.904878 application/epub+zip 1353019 2025-07-17T12:44:01.491603 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 977134 2025-07-17T12:43:31.954731 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 958204 2022-09-19T19:22:12.808284 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 1198407 2025-07-17T12:42:45.345916 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 1199419 2020-06-15T16:52:33 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 1205027 2013-08-09T19:13:44 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 1205487 2013-08-09T19:13:44 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 27965 2025-07-17T12:44:01.695618 application/rdf+xml 1538367 2013-08-09T19:13:44 application/prs.tei 11145 2025-07-17T12:42:55.499891 image/jpeg 2444 2025-07-17T12:42:55.226876 image/jpeg 424339 2020-06-15T16:52:33 application/octet-stream application/zip 423747 2013-08-09T19:13:44 application/octet-stream application/zip 625002 2013-08-09T19:11:45 application/octet-stream application/zip 1162526 2013-08-09T19:13:43 application/octet-stream application/zip 512458 2013-08-09T19:13:44 application/octet-stream application/zip 423311 2013-08-09T19:13:44 application/octet-stream application/zip 596564 2025-07-17T12:42:52.233888 application/octet-stream application/zip 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 en.wikipedia