Animal Spirits

Drawing upon a range of traditions from ancient forms of animal worship and myth-making to the living beliefs of tribal and nomadic peoples, this book explores the innumerable ways in which animals have resonated with the human mind. It covers such themes as the ethos of hunting and vegetarianism, the notion of the animal soul, and scientific and pre-scientific concepts of animal intelligence and behaviour. The central part of the book is a bestiary of both real and mythological creatures, looking at the associations of each one in different cultures at different periods, and relating mythical and symbolic meanings to known biological and ecological facts. A documentary reference section is included with a regional gazetteer which looks at the conservation and cultural status of animals across the world.