Ancient Cities: The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient near East and Egypt, Greece and Rome by
This book surveys the cities of the Ancient Near East, Egypt, and the Greek and Roman worlds from the perspectives of archaeology and architectural history, bringing to life the physical world of ancient city dwellers by concentrating on evidence recovered from archaeological excavations.
Ancient Perspectives: Maps and Their Place in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome by
This book encompasses a vast arc of space and time--Western Asia to North Africa and Europe from the third millennium BCE to the fifth century CE, to explore mapmaking and worldviews in the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
Lithic Materials and Paleolithic Societies by
This book provides a detailed examination of the Paleolithic procurement and utilization of the most durable material in the worldwide archaeological record. The volume addresses sites ranging in age from some of the earliest hominin occupations in eastern and southern Africa to late Pleistocene and post-Pleistocene occupations in North American and Australia, the Early Paleolithic in India and the Near East, the Middle Paleolithic in Europe, and the Late Paleolithic in Europe and eastern Asia are also considered.
Picturing the Bronze Age by
This book examines a wide range of topics reflecting the many forms and expressions of Bronze Age imagery encompassing important themes including religion, materiality, mobility, interaction, power and gender. Contributors explore specific elements of rock art in some detail, such as the representation of the human form, images of manslaughter, and gender identities.
Thin on the Ground: Neandertal Biology, Archeology, and Ecology by
The book highlights and contrasts the differences between Neandertals and early modern humans and explores the morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptive solutions which led to the extinction of the Neandertals and the population expansion of modern humans.
An Anthology of Ancient Mesopotamian Texts: When the Gods Were Human by
This book gathers the best stories of ancient Near Eastern literature surrounding the Mesopotamian gods, men, and kings. It takes the reader on a journey back to the birth of literature in Mesopotamia.
Gods in the Desert: Religions of the Ancient Near East by
This book explores the fascinating religious cultures of the ancient Near East. From the mysterious pyramids, tombs, and temples of Egypt to the powerful heroes, gods, and legends of Mesopotamia, the author guides readers through the early religions that are the root of many of today's major faiths. He compares the religions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria-Palestine, including Israel and Judah, from the Neolithic era through the conquest of Alexander the Great. He provides a historical survey of each region, then discusses the gods, the rulers, the afterlife, and the worship rituals.
A History of the Ancient near East, Ca. 3000-323 BC by
This book presents a comprehensive overview of the multicultural civilizations of the ancient Near East. The book integrates the most up-to-date research, includes a richer selection of supplementary materials, and addresses the wide variety of political, social, and cultural developments in the ancient Near East.
King Hammurabi of Babylon: A Biography by
This is the first biography in English of King Hammurabi, who ruled Babylon from 1792 to 1750 BC and presents a rounded view of his accomplishments. Describes how Hammurabi dealt with powerful rivals and extended his kingdom.
Textiles in the Neo-Assyrian Empire: A Study of Terminology by
This book brings together our present-day knowledge about textile terminology in the Akkadian language of the first-millennium BC. The progress in the study of the Assyrian dialect and its grammar and lexicon has shown the increasing importance of studying the language as well as cataloging and analyzing the terminology of material culture in the documentation of the first world empire. The book analyses the terms for raw materials, textile procedures, and textile end products consumed in first-millennium BC Assyria.
What Makes Civilization?: The Ancient near East and the Future of the West by
In this book archaeologist David Wengrow investigates the origins of farming, writing, and cities in ancient Mesopotamia (Iraq) and Egypt, and explores the connections between these two civilizations. It is the story of how people first created kingdoms and monuments to the gods and, just as importantly, how they pioneered everyday practices that we might now take for granted, such as familiar ways of cooking food and keeping the house and body clean.
Egypt: Lost Civilizations by
In this book, the author examines the history, art, and religion of ancient Egypt to illuminate why it has been so influential throughout the centuries. The author shows how the ancient past has always been used to serve contemporary purposes.
Hannibal by
The author discusses the history of Hannibal, his rise, his fame, and ultimately his defeat against the Romans.
Hannibal: A Hellenistic Life by
In this biography the author expands the memory of Hannibal beyond his military feats and tactics. She considers him to be in a wider context of the society and vibrant culture of Carthage which shaped him and his family, employing archaeological findings and documentary sources not only from Rome but also the wider Mediterranean world of the third century B.C. The author analyzes Hannibal's legend over the millennia, exploring how statuary, Jacobean tragedy, opera, nineteenth-century fiction, and other depictions illuminate the character of one of the most fascinating military personalities in all of history.
Nubia, corridor to Africa by
This book discusses ancient Nubia, why it was the Corridor to Africa, and the history and beginnings of the culture.
African Dominion: A New History of Empire in Early and Medieval West Africa by
This book discusses about political and social history and draws on a rich array of sources, including Arabic manuscripts, oral histories, and recent archaeological findings. The author unveils a new vision of how categories of ethnicity, race, gender, and caste emerged in Africa and in global history more generally. The author focuses on the Savannah and Sahel region, the and traces the exchange of ideas and influences with North Africa and the Central Islamic Lands by way of merchants, scholars, and pilgrims.
The Birth of the State : Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China by
This book has an overview of four of the most significant cultural centers in the ancient world, now in Egypt, the Persian Gulf region, India, and China. The author approaches his subjects from a variety of perspectives and offers information on the economy, society, political climate, and religion within each of the empires. The author synthesizes the material to reveal overarching themes in the birth and decline of civilizations.
Feeding the Dead: Ancestor Worship in Ancient India by
This book outlines the early history of ancestor worship in South Asia, from the earliest sources available, the Vedas, up to the descriptions found in the Dharmshastra tradition. The book address the serious question about how and why religion in India changed so radically in the last half of the first millennium BCE, and ties together the oldest ritual texts with the customs of ancestor worship that underlie and inform medieval and contemporary practice.
The Government and Geography of Ancient India by
This informative volume charts the changes in leadership in ancient India and ends with a comparison to India's government today. With engaging text, rich and colorful illustrations, and an enhanced e-book option, this title is a valuable resource for student reports.
Puṣpikā: Tracing Ancient India Through Texts and Traditions : Contributions to Current Research in Indology, Volume 4 by
This book covers a rich variety of topics related to the intellectual traditions of South Asia such as grammar, poetry and philosophy, examined from a plurality of disciplinary perspectives, with a particular emphasis on philology, history and sociology.
A Brief History of Japan: Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun by
This book tells the history and story of the people of Japan, from ancient teenage priest-queens to teeming hordes of salarymen, a nation that once sought to conquer China, yet also shut itself away for two centuries in self-imposed seclusion.
Imprints of Kinship: Studies of Recently Discovered Bronze Inscriptions from Ancient China by
This book analyzed the nature and patterns of lineages emerging from the tombs of ancient lords of states and historically significant individuals located throughout China, including Beijing, Shandong, Shanxi, and Gansu. The editors provide detailed textual analyses of the inscriptions found on excavated bronze vessels. Their essays offer careful reconstructions of the genealogies, kinship structures, political identities, and relationship networks of leading court figures from Bronze-Age China. This book brings to light archaeological evidence in support of new discoveries related to the chronology, warfare, and legal structure of the different realms that existed during the Western Zhou period.
A Short History of China: From Ancient Dynasties to Economic Powerhouse by
This book tells the stories of the tyrants, despots, femmes fatales, artists, warriors, and philosophers who have shaped China. It describes the amazing technological advances that China's scientists and inventors made many hundreds of years before similar discoveries in Europe. It also investigates the Chinese view of the world and examines the movements, aspirations, and philosophies that molded it and, in so doing, created the Chinese nation. Finally, the book examines the dramatic changes of the last few decades and the emergence of China as an economic and industrial 21st-century superpower.
A Short History of South-East Asia by
This book is the latest in a series of updated texts of the Southeast region of Asia. With revised chapters for all of the countries in this geographic area, this interesting text has a remarkable overview of the characters and events that have shaped this part of the world.
History of Southeast Asia by
This book narrates the history of the region from earliest recorded times until today, covering present-day Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, Indonesia and East Timor. Its scope is the whole of Southeast Asia and not just the mainland, which has in the past received undue emphasis possibly because of the Vietnam War. Water is the geographical cause of its unity and diversity, for even landlocked Laos has the Mekong as a means of communication.
Southeast Asia in World History by
This book is a survey of the history of Southeast Asia from ancient times to the present, paying particular attention to the region's role in world history and the distinctive societies that arose in lands shaped by green fields and forests, blue rivers and seas. The author shows how for several millennia Southeast Asians, living at the crossroads of Asia, enjoyed ever expanding connections to both China and India, and later developed maritime trading networks to the Middle East and Europe.
Ancient Civilizations of the New World by
This book provides an introductory overview of these unique and fascinating cultures. With the latest breakthroughs in the study of the cultures of Mesoamerica and the Andes, the author examines the development of the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, and Inca peoples, among others, from simple agricultural societies to urban civilizations with complex transportation networks, distinct social hierarchies, rich artistic and religious traditions, and writing systems that have defied anthropological investigation until recently.
Aztecs: an interpretation by
In 1521, the city of Tenochtitlan, magnificent center of the Aztec empire, and fell to the Spaniards and their Indian allies. The authors account of the Aztecs recreates the culture of that city in its last unthreatened years. It provides a dramatic analysis of Aztec ceremony as performance art, binding the key experiences and concerns of social existence in the late imperial city to the mannered violence of their ritual killings.
The History of the Incas by
This book may be the best description of Inca life and mythology to survive Spanish colonization of Peru. It also theorizes what sources, in addition to his extensive interviews, Sarmiento relied upon to produce his history. Finally, more than sixty new illustrations enliven this historically invaluable document of life in the ancient Andes.
The Incas by
The Incas is a captivating exploration of one of the greatest civilizations ever seen, drawing on history, archaeology, and ethnography, this thoroughly updated new edition integrates advances made in hundreds of new studies conducted over the last decade.
Mesoamerican Writing Systems: propaganda, myth, and history in four ancient civilizations by
This book is an anthropological study of the role of hieroglyphic writing in the pre-Hispanic Aztec, Mixtec, Zapotec, and Maya states. The author compares the four systems with regard to eight major themes: calendric, the naming of nobles, the naming of places, royal marriages, accession to the throne, divine ancestors, warfare, and the rewriting of history. The authors states that ancient Mesoamerican writing was a tool used by an elite minority in their competition for positions of leadership, prestige, territory, tribute, and advantageous marriages. The author says that while it may have been based on actual persons and events, this body of prehistoric writing is what was created to be what we would call propaganda, myth, and fact, written for political purposes, and not reliable "history" in a modern sense.
Painting the Skin: Pigments on Bodies and Codices in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica by
This book brings together exciting research on painted skins in Mesoamerica. Chapters explore the materiality, uses, and cultural meanings of the colors applied to a multitude of skins, including bodies, codices made of hide and vegetal paper, and even building "skins." Contributors offer physicochemical analysis and compare compositions, manufactures, and attached meanings of pigments and colorants across various social and symbolic contexts and registers. Examining color in Mesoamerica broadens understandings of Native religious systems and world views. Tracing the path of color use and meaning from pre-Columbian times to the present allows for the study of the preparation, meanings, social uses, and thousand-year origins of the coloring materials used by today's Indigenous peoples.
Prehistoric Mesoamerica by
The author updates his widely adopted text with material from recent archaeological fieldwork to present a balanced summary and overview of the region that is today Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras. Following an introduction to Mesoamerican studies, a brief geographic sketch of the region, and a summary of the major features of its civilizations, the author examines in detail each period of cultural history: the first immigrants; the Olmec and their contemporaries, Maya beginnings and classic civilization; the great cities of Teotihuacan and Monte Alban, the rise and fall of the Toltec, and the civilizations of the Tarascan's, Zapotecs, Mixtec's, Totonacs, and Aztecs.
Visual Culture of the Ancient Americas: Contemporary Perspectives by
The essays collected in this volume reflect new perspectives on ancient American art and are contributed by many of the authors former students and colleagues. This book covers a wide range of topics, from Aztec picture-writing, to nineteenth-century European scientific illustration of Andean sites in Peru. The essays focus on three areas: the ancient Andes, including its representation by European explorers and scholars of the nineteenth century, Classic period Mesoamerica and its uses within the cultural heritage debate of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and Postclassic Mesoamerica, particularly the deeper and heretofore often hidden meanings of its cultural production.
Ancient Religions of the Austronesian World: From Australasia to Taiwan by
This book is about, Austronesia, which is the vast oceanic region which stretches from Madagascar to Taiwan to New Zealand, and encompasses both scattered archipelagos and major landmasses. The Author argues that the diverse inhabitants of the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, New Guinea and Oceania show a common inheritance that extends beyond language, and this commonality is found above all in mythology and ritual, which reach back to an ancient, prehistoric past. From around 1250 BCE the original proto-Oceanic speakers migrated eastwards from South-East Asia.
Archaeology of Oceania: Australia and the Pacific Islands by
This book is a state-of-the-art introduction to the archaeology of Oceania, covering both Australia and the Pacific Islands. The book lets readers to form an overview of cultural developments across the region as a whole.
A Brief History of Australia by
This book looks at social, cultural, economic, and political trends in the country's long history, shedding light on its unique and complex identity. Beginning with the peopling of the continent about 60,000 years ago, the volume examines the early history and culture of the Aboriginals. It continues with the first documented sighting of the landmass by a European in the 17th century, followed by a discussion of the colonial period in the 18th and 19th centuries. From the Federation of 1901 to the Liberal government of John Howard (1998-2007) and the Labor government of Kevin Rudd (2007-present), this new book explores Australia's relationship to the British Crown, national security and education policy, the role of sport and environmental issues, Aboriginal rights, women's history, and gay rights.
How Chiefs Became Kings: divine kingship and the rise of archaic states in ancient Hawai'i by
The author argues that Hawaiian polities had become states before the time of Captain Cook's voyage (1778-1779). The status of most archaic states is inferred from the archaeological record. However, the author shows that because Hawai`i's kingdoms were established relatively recently, they could be observed and recorded by Cook and other European voyagers. This book makes a major contribution to the literature of precontract Hawai`i and illuminates Hawai`i's importance in the global theory and literature about divine kingship, archaic states, and sociopolitical evolution.
On the Road of the Winds: an archaeological history of the Pacific islands before European contact by
This book explains about human history in the Pacific Islands, beginning with the movement of early people out from Asia more than 40,000 years ago, and tracing the development of a many indigenous cultures up to the time of European contact in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. It provides an up-to-date synthesis of archaeological and historical anthropological knowledge of these fascinating indigenous cultures. The author focuses on human ecology and island adaptations, the complexities of island trading and exchange systems, voyaging technology and skills, and the development of intensive economic systems linked to the growth of large populations.
The Pacific Arts of Polynesia and Micronesia by
The book focuses on the artistic types, styles, and concepts that they share, placing each in its wider cultural context. From the textiles of Tonga to the canoes of Tahiti, the author looks at religious and sacred rituals and objects, carving, architecture, tattooing, personal ornaments, basket-making, clothing, textiles, fashion, the oral arts, dance, music and musical instruments - even canoe-construction - to provide and introduction to the rich and vibrant artistic cultures of the Polynesian and Micronesian islands.
Ancient Greece from Homer to Alexander: The Evidence by
This sourcebook provides an inclusive and integrated view of Greek history, from Homer to Alexander the Great. New translations of original sources are contextualized by insightful introductions and annotations Includes a range of literary, artistic and material evidence from the Homeric, Archaic and the Classical Ages the book focuses on important developments as well as specific themes to create an integrated perspective on the period Links the political and social history of the Greeks to their intellectual accomplishments
Ancient Rome: From Romulus to Justinian by
This book takes you through the period from Rome's founding in the eighth century B.C., to Justinian's rule in the sixth century A.D. The author gives a perspective on the Romans and their civilization by employing fundamental Roman values as a lens through which to view both their rise and fall. Interweaving social, political, religious, and cultural history, the author interprets the successes and failures of the Romans in war, political organization, quest for personal status, and in the integration of religious beliefs and practices with government. He focuses on the central role of social and moral values in determining individual conduct as well as decisions of state, from monarchy to republic to empire.
Body, Dress, and Identity in Ancient Greece by
By applying modern dress theory to the ancient evidence, this book reconstructs the social meanings attached to the dressed body in ancient Greece. Whereas many scholars have focused on individual aspects of ancient Greek dress, from the perspectives of literary, visual, and archaeological sources, this volume synthesizes the diverse evidence and offers fresh insights into this essential aspect of ancient society.
Exploring Celtic Origins by
This book is the fruit of collaborative work by researchers in archaeology, historical linguistics, and archaeo-genetics over the past ten years. This team works towards the goal of a better understanding of the background in the Bronze Age and Beaker Period of the people who emerge as Celts and speakers of Celtic languages documented in the Iron Age and later times. The books contributors present multidisciplinary chapters in a lively user-friendly style, aimed at accessibility for workers in the other fields, as well as general readers. The collection stands as a pause to reflect on ways forward at the moment of intellectual history when the genome-wide sequencing of ancient DNA (a.k.a. 'the archaeo-genetic revolution') has suddenly changed everything in the study of later European prehistory.
The Goths : Lost Civilizations by
In this engaging history, the author brings together the interwoven stories of the original Goths and the diverse Gothic heritage, a heritage that continues to shape our modern world. From the ancient migrations to contemporary Goth culture, through debates over democratic freedom and European nationalism, and drawing on writers from Shakespeare to Bram Stoker, Gwynn explores the ever-widening gulf between the Goths of history and the popular imagination.
The Greeks: Lost Civilizations by
This book is a portrait of Ancient Greece. The author tells the lost stories of the Greeks outside Greece, compatriots of luminaries like Sappho, the poet from Lesbos; Archimedes, a native of Syracuse; and Herodotus, who was born in Asia Minor as a subject of the Persian Empire. Stretching from the earliest prehistoric Greek colonies around the Black Sea to Greek settlements in Spain and Italy, through the conquests of Alexander and the glories of the Hellenistic era, to the fall of Byzantium, this book illuminates the lives of the Greek soldiers, statesmen, scientists, and philosophers who laid the foundations of what we call "Greek culture" today. The book offers a fresh look at what it meant to be Greek by instead telling the story of the Greeks abroad, from modern-day India to Spain.
The Historians of Ancient Rome: An Anthology of the Major Writings by
This book is the most comprehensive collection of ancient sources for Roman history available in a single English volume. It gives a general introduction on Roman historical writing, extensive passages from more than a dozen Greek and Roman historians, and biographers trace the history of Rome over more than a thousand years: from the city's foundation by Romulus in 753 B.C.E. (Livy) to Constantine's edict of toleration for Christianity (313 C.E.).
History of Rome by
This book covers a history of Ancient Rome from the earliest times to 476 A.D.
The Huns, Rome and the Birth of Europe by
This book argues that the steppes of Inner Asia were far from 'backward' and that the image of the primitive Huns is vastly misleading. They already possessed a highly sophisticated political culture while still in Inner Asia and, far from being passive recipients of advanced culture from the West, they passed on important elements of Central Eurasian culture to early medieval Europe, which they helped create. Their expansion also marked the beginning of a millennium of virtual monopoly of world power by empires originating in the steppes of Inner Asia. The rise of the Hunnic Empire was truly a geopolitical revolution.
People and Places of the Roman Past: The Educated Traveler's Guide by
Written by scholars who specialize in Roman history, religion, and culture, this book is written for travelers in search of inspiration and learning as they tour the streets, churches, museums, and monuments of the Roman past. Combining biographical portraits of some of Rome's most significant historical figures with a study of the monuments, artworks, and places associated with them, this book offers an informative and insightful look at the human and cultural history of one of the great cities of the world.
The Vandals by
This books discusses the history of the Vandals from their beginnings, their sac of Rome, and their downfall soon after.
Abrahamic Religions: : On the Uses and Abuses of History by
In Abrahamic Religions, thee examines the creation and dissemination of this term. Part genealogical and part analytical, this book seeks to raise and answer questions about the appropriateness and usefulness of employing "Abrahamic religions" as a vehicle for understanding and classifying data.
Atlas of World Religions by
Featuring more than sixty brand new maps, photographs, diagrams and charts, the Atlas of World Religions is an essential companion to any study on the key religions of the world. This text s guides the experience and helps readers to interpret the visuals.
Early Judaism : A Comprehensive Overview by
This book contains fifteen first-rate essays from a diverse group of internationally renowned scholars, and provides the most comprehensive and authoritative overview available of Judaism in the Hellenistic and early Roman periods.
The First Thousand Years : A Global History of Christianity by 
Islam: History, Religion, and Politics by
This book provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to the core teachings, historical development, and contemporary public struggles of Islam.
Islam: A Brief History by
This edition of this book expands its coverage of the Qur'an, Sufism, and Muslim views on human rights, including the rights of women. An expanded new edition of this concise, illuminating introduction to Islam spans Islamic history from the life of Muhammad and the birth of Islamic ideals, through Islam's phenomenal geographical expansion and cultural development, to the creation of modern states and its role in today's global society. It Features expanded coverage of the Qur'an, Sufism, and Muslim views on human rights, including the rights of women Includes fascinating vignettes of Islamic life, representing mainstream Muslim viewpoints on issues of global concern .
The Origin of Heresy: A History of Discourse in Second Temple Judaism and Early Christianity by
This book traces the construction of the idea of 'heresy' in the rhetoric of ideological disagreements in Second Temple Jewish and early Christian texts and in the development of the polemical rhetoric against 'heretics,' called heresiology. Here, author Robert Royalty argues, one finds the origin of what comes to be labelled 'heresy' in the second century. This book is an original contribution to the field of Early Christian studies. The book makes a methodological contribution by blurring the line between New Testament Studies and Early Christian studies, employing ideological and post-colonial critical methods.
A Short World History of Christianity, Revised Edition by
This book offers a panoramic picture of the history of Christianity in its Western and non-Western expressions. It tells the story of the early church in the Greek East as well as the Latin West; of Christianity's spread into Asia as well as Europe during the Middle Ages; and its explosion around the world during the modern period. The authors readable narrative explores why global perspectives have emerged so strongly in our understanding of the story of Christianity and how they have impacted Christianity's perspective on its place in the world.
Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend, Thames and Hudson by
This reference books discusses Hindu culture, history, and lore and legend the the Hindu culture.
Hinduism in India: The Early Period by
This book covers the major thematic and historical aspects of Hinduism in ancient and medieval India, emphasizing primarily on belief structures, rituals, theology, art, and myths. Although the book focuses on the period from 200 BCE to 1200 ACE, the chapters make several references to ideas and practices preceding and following this period.
Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices by
This book is widely recognized as essential reading for everyone wishing to understand one of the world's great religious traditions. The author provides not only a wide-ranging introduction to Hindu religious and cultural diversity but also suggests a way to characterize Hinduism as a distinct tradition that has survived and adapted to changing circumstances from ancient times to the present day. In this book, students of Hinduism will find more coverage of the debate about Hindu origins, the nature and practice of Hindu worship, the role of women, the scope of dharma and morality, Hindu philosophical thought and the use of reason, and the way caste functions.
A History of Hinduism: The Past, Present, and Future by
This book looks at both. The history of Brahmanas, tracing their lineage to the fifty-odd Rigvedic poets, is dealt with through the chronological ordering of the Sanskrit texts which were first handed down to us as oral narratives from Gurus to shishyas. The circumstances and purposes for which these texts were written is examined, along with events of a true historical nature.
A Prehistory of Hinduism by
This book is a pioneering attempt to understand the prehistory of Hinduism in South Asia. Exploring religious processes in the Deccan region between the eleventh and the nineteenth century with class relations as its point of focus, it throws new light on the making of religious communities, monastic institutions, legends, lineages, and the ethics that governed them. In the light of this prehistory, a compelling framework is suggested for a revision of existing perspectives on the making of Hinduism in the nineteenth and the twentieth century.
Buddhism: the Basics by
This book provides a thorough and accessible introduction to a fascinating religion. Examining the historical development of Buddhism and its presence today, this guide covers: principal traditions, practices and beliefs, ethical guidelines, and philosophy. It has religious texts With helpful features including a detailed map of the Buddhist world, glossary of terms and tips for further study, this is an ideal text for students and interested readers wanting to familiarize themselves with the Buddhist faith.
Exploring Buddhism by
The author takes us on a personal journey through Buddhism, offering insights into the many different paths, doctrines and approaches to Buddhism. This collection of twenty essays ranges from history to doctrine, and from the rise of Buddhism in the West through to the finer points of its everyday practice.
Tibetan Buddhism by
This text book discusses Tibetan Buddhism.
Chinese and Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism by
This book unfolds the sweeping impact of esoteric Buddhism on Tibetan and Chinese cultures, and the movement's role in forging distinct political, ethnical, and religious identities across Asia at large. This broadly conceived work exposes the common ground it shares with other Buddhist schools, as well as its intersection with non-Buddhist faiths, and is a major contribution to the study of Asian religions and cultures.
Historical Dictionary of Sikhism by
This book of Historical Dictionary of Sikhism covers its history through a chronology, an introductory essay, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1000 cross-referenced entries on key persons, organizations, the principles, precepts and practices of the religion as well as the history, culture and social arrangements. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Sikhism.
Sikhism: a Very Short Introduction by
This book will introduce newcomers to the meaning of Sikhism, and its practices, rituals, and festivals. The key threads in the fascinating history of the religion will be highlighted, from the Gurus and the development of the Sikh look, to martyrdom and militarization in the 17th and 18th Centuries, and the diaspora.
South Asian Religions : Tradition and Today by
By examining the realities of religious life, and the ways in which the traditions are practiced on the ground, this book provides an illuminating introduction to religion in South Asia.
