Sachgebiete

Beschreibung:

224 S.; 34 Illustrationen; 8°. Originalleinen mit Schutzumschlag.

Bemerkung:

Sehr gutes Exemplar. - Englisch. // Birds coloured almost every aspect of ancient Greek life whether as delectable dainties, . reliable weather prophets, bad or good omens or simply as delightful pets. They also played a major role in myth and religion, both in the context of avian transformation or as the familiars of divinities. This new comprehensive account by John Pollard, an experienced naturalist and a classical scholar, surveys all the species mentioned by the ancient authorities in the light of con-temporary ornithological knowledge, as well as dealing with the places of birds in ancient life and myth. The work is divided into three parts. The first investigates the ancient Greek attitude to birds and the reliability of the surviving work on ancient ornithology, and groups the different species by habitat or type. Chapters are also devoted to the history of such familiar domestic birds as the goose, fowl and peacock and to the fanciful halcyon, Phoenix and Stymphalian birds. The second part deals with such practical matters as bird-trapping, hawking, the pseudo-science of augury and birds as love-charms or as sovereign cures for maladies. Part Three is concerned exclusively with mythical and religious beliefs about birds. The view that myths containing bird transformations may have originated in ancient Crete is closely examined, as is the evidence for the former existence of bird cults. The place of birds in folklore and fable and the enigma of such monstrous bird-monsters as the Siren and the Harpy are discussed in the final chapters. The book is illustrated with representations of birds preserved, in the main, on ancient monuments and vase-paintings. // INHALT : LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS -- PREFACE -- PART ONE. BIRDS IN ANCIENT GREECE -- THE GREEK ATTITUDE TO BIRDS -- IGREEK AUTHORITIES ON BIRDS -- BIRDS OF THE TOWN AND VILLAGE -- BIRDS OF THE COUNTRYSIDE -- FRESHWATER BIRDS -- SEA BIRDS -- RAPTORIAL BIRDS -- LARGE BIRDS -- DOMESTIC BIRDS -- FABULOUS BIRDS -- PART TWO. BIRDS IN GREEK LIFE -- BIRDS AS FOOD AND SPORT -- BIRDS AND NATURAL PHENOMENA -- OMENS AND AUGURY -- MAGICAL AND MEDICINAL BIRDS -- BIRDS AS PETS -- PART THREE. BIRDS IN GREEK MYTH -- SACRED BIRDS -- BIRDS IN BRONZE AGE GREECE -- GODS IN BIRD FORM -- MEN IN BIRD FORM -- BIRD CULTS -- BIRDS IN FOLKLORE AND FABLE -- SOUL BIRDS. ISBN 0500400326