Book details of 'From Black Land to Fifth Sun: The Science of Sacred Sites'

Title	From Black Land to Fifth Sun: The Science of Sacred Sites
Author(s)	Brian M. Fagan
ISBN	0201959917
Language	English
Publisher	Perseus Publishing

---

Back to shelf Science
Amazon.com info for From Black Land to Fifth Sun: The Science of Sacred Sites

Score:

Vote for this book

The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'From Black Land to Fifth Sun: The Science of Sacred Sites':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
"`From Black Land to Fifth Sun' describes how archaeologists use modern science to study ancient cosmologies and religious beliefs." So quoth the preface. However, even granting that this is a popularizing work rather than a scholarly one, we must protest the lack of material germane to the subject. While most of the book may deal with archeology, that majority is rather slim. Even less of the text deals with religion, and the contribution of what might be termed modern science is tenuous indeed. According to the book, the sum total of what modern science contributes to our understanding of ancient religions through archeology is vanishingly small. There is a good deal of interesting content in the book, so long as you aren't picky about the subject. (On the other hand, I should note that the first day, admittedly short of rest, that I tried to review the book I kept falling asleep.) If you have no background in archeology there are some nice explanations of basic methods and practices. The chapters touch on some of the more well-known archeological sites and areas. Along the way are some engaging descriptions of religious beliefs and practices recounted by some of the last adherents. The total content, though, gives us little dependable information about religion except where reports from practitioners are available. Fagan admits the standard joke that a religious object is defined by lack of understanding on the part of the researcher, but then does nothing to ensure to the reader that artifacts presented as religious objects are, in fact, just that. The organization of the book does not help matters. Chapter divisions are by site or culture, covering basic archeology, European cave paintings, San art, the middle east, tribes of northern Zimbabwe, Avebury, Stonehenge, southwestern US pueblo dwellers, eastern US moundbuilders, Minoan culture, Phylakopi, Egypt, Xunantunich, and Tenochtitlan. Thus an examination of the "Goddess" cult looks at only two major sites and a few other examples. Ancestor worship is based on only a single (still living) culture. Where reports or texts are not available the determinations about religion are extremely tentative, so that Avebury and Silbury Hill are admitted to be complete mysteries. While possibly entertaining and sometimes informative, the contents of this book will come as no surprise to anyone who has had a grade school level course in "The Ancient World." copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998
Add my review for From Black Land to Fifth Sun: The Science of Sacred Sites