SACRED ART OF HUNTING: Myths, Legends and The Modern Mythos

Many of the foremost social scientists of our times, including Freud, Jung and Fromm, consider hunting instinctual in man, a basic yet little understood human drive that has played a profound influence upon our culture, consciousness, and physical body. Yet hunting is condemned by many as a cruel and inhumane pursuit in an era of urban expansion and animal rights activism. This thought-provoking book gathers together the rich heritage, customs, and histories of the hunt from worldwide cultures to present a penetrating picture of the hunter's soul. The author reveals a universal, common core experience that provides a cultural context of understanding for 'modern' hunters and non-hunters alike. By recovering this rich heritage of myths and legends, Swan creates a modern mythos of hunting as 'an act of love for nature guided by the strongest spiritual forces' when practiced from an ethical perspective. Photos. Includes Edward S. Curtis beautiful full page sepia photos such as Calling A Moose of an Indian blowing a pipe and other illus Cordoban Andalusian Dukes with thier dogs 1925, and a stuniing painting by Manuel Benedito of a stag being brought to the village and a pack of sighthounds looking exhausted but as ever glamorous and athletic. 159 pages. 19.7 x 29.2cm.