Shamanism - Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy

The foundational work on shamanism now available as a Princeton Classics paperback

Shamanism is an essential work on the study of this mysterious and fascinating phenomenon. The founder of the modern study of the history of religion, Mircea Eliade surveys the tradition through two and a half millennia of human history, moving from the shamanic traditions of Siberia and Central Asia—where shamanism was first observed—to North and South America, Indonesia, Tibet, China, and beyond. In this authoritative survey, Eliade illuminates the magico-religious life of societies that give primacy of place to the figure of the shaman—at once magician and medicine man, healer and miracle-doer, priest, mystic, and poet. Synthesizing the approaches of psychology, sociology, and ethnology, Shamanism remains the reference book of choice for those interested in this practice.

About the author

Mircea Eliade
With a foreword by Wendy Doniger

Summary

'Eliade writes of the shamans with [a] masterly combination of sympathy and detachment.' - New York Times Book Review

Product details

• Authors: Mircea Eliade, Eliade Mircea
• Assisted by: Willard R. Trask (Translation)
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.09.2020
• EAN: 9780691210667
• ISBN: 978-0-691-21066-7
• No. of pages: 648
• Series: Princeton Classics
• Subjects: Guides > Spirituality > Ancient knowledge, ancient cultures; Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Miscellaneous; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, History, RELIGION / Spirituality, HISTORY / Modern / 18th Century, Spirituality & religious experience, Spirituality and religious experience, Early 18th century c 1700 to c 1750, Later 18th century c 1750 to c 1799