According to the ancient Maya, the world as we know it will end on 21 December 2012. On that date, their calendar will click round to zero for the first time in over 5, 000 years. They prophesied that this event will be preceded by a series of natural disasters, including earthquakes and floods
According to the ancient Maya, the world as we know it will end on 21 December 2012. On that date, their calendar will click round to zero for the first time in over 5, 000 years. They prophesised that this destruction will be preceded by a series of natural disasters, including earthquakes and floods. Does this sound familiar?
What will this mean for us? Should we take seriously their claims that this will be a time of apocalyptic cataclysm? And just how did the Maya, a clever but nonetheless Stone Age people, calculate the date of an astronomical event that would take place many millennia in the future?
These are just some of the questions posed by Adrian Gilbert, co-author of the international bestseller The Mayan Prophecies. In The End of Time, he revisits the ancient archaeological sites of the Maya and makes astonishing new discoveries about their cosmology. He also makes use of modern computer technology to
Ogres and giants, bogeymen and bugaboos embody some of our deepest fears, dominating popular fiction, from tales such as 'Jack the Giant Killer' to the cannibal monster Hannibal Lecter, from the Titans of Greek mythology to the dinosaurs of JURASSIC PARK, from Frankenstein TO MEN IN BLACK. Following her brilliant study of fairy tales, FROM THE BEAST TO THE BLONDE, Marina Warner's rich, enthralling new book explores the ever increasing presence of such figures of male terror, and the strategems we invent to allay the monsters we conjure up -from horror stories to lullabies and jokes. Travelling from ogres to cradle songs, from bananas to cannibals, Warner traces the roots of our commonest anxieties, unravelling with vigorous intelligence, creative originality and relish, the myths and fears which define our sensibilites. Illustrated with a wealth of images - from the beautiful and the bizarre to the downright scary -this is a tour de force of scholarship and imagination.
Ogres and giants, bogeymen and bugaboos embody some of our deepest fears, dominating popular fiction, from tales such as 'Jack the Giant Killer' to the cannibal monster Hannibal Lecter, from the Titans of Greek mythology to the dinosaurs of JURASSIC PARK, from Frankenstein to MEN IN BLACK. Following her brilliant study of fairy tales, FROM THE BEAST TO THE BLONDE, Marina Warner's enthralling new book explores the ever increasing presence of such figures of male terror, and the stratagems we invent to allay the monsters we conjure up. From ogres to cradle songs, from bananas to cannibals, Warner traces the roots of our commonest anxieties, unravelling with vigorous intelligence, originality and relish, the myths and fears which define our sensibilities. Illustrated with a wealth of images - from the beautiful and the bizarre to the downright scary - this is a tour de force of scholarship and imagination.
MYSTERIOUS SCOTLAND presents an extraordinary array of the weird and wonderful heritage of the country. In it, Michael Balfour examines strange stories from the moors, forests, rivers, holy wells and lochs, where - as well as the old legends and dark secrets which he prises out of palaces, castles and cathedrals - he finds monsters, ghoulies, unsolved murders and ancient cures.Investigating a land where the past is reflected in the present, the author has roamed all around Scotland, exploring standing stones, mermaid beaches and magic springs. He seeks out new theories about the prehistoric, Celtic and Pictish stones, carvings, tombs and brochs which are scattered across the country. Among his many wonderful discoveries, he unearths long-forgotten prophecies, puzzling tales from the bothies, consuming traditions and distillers' tricks, and finds evidence of the legendary Highland second sight. Not forgotten are the great historical figures who throng the pages, each making a unique contribution to MYSTERIOUS SCOTLAND. This book is the perfect introduction to the amazing hidden history which permeates Scottish lives and landscape.