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INMAN, THOMAS. Ancient Faiths Embodied in Ancient Names; Or an Attempt to Trace the Religious Belief, Sacred Rites, and Holy Emblems of Certain Nations By an Interpretation of the Names ...
INMAN, THOMAS. Ancient Faiths Embodied in Ancient Names; Or an Attempt to Trace the Religious Belief, Sacred Rites, and Holy Emblems of Certain Nations By an Interpretation of the Names ...
... Given Children By Priestly Authority, or Assumed By Prophets, Kings, and Hierarchs
London and Liverpool: Privately printed for the Author, 1868-1869.
First Edition. Two Volume Set. Volume one published in 1868, volume two in 1869. Thick octavo. Bound in contemporary half leather over marbled boards. Five raised bands to spine. Titles in gilt to spine. Top edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Frontispiece in each volume, second volume frontispiece has a tissue guard. Volume I: [viii],789 pages. Volume II: [l], 1028 pages. Illustrated with 12 Plates with numerous line drawings in text.
Light rubbing and shelf wear to boards and leather on both volumes. Former owner's small bookplate with initials and reference number to front paste down of each volume. First few pages of volume two are beginning to come loose near top left. Bindings are strong and secure. A very good set.
Quite scarce. The title of this epic work is misleading. It is not a list of names of persons analyzed. It is more an encyclopedia (a vocabulary) of pagan and mystical names, words, symbols, types and forms of worship, gods, goddesses, divination systems, and more, from many ancient cultures. There is a very strong emphasis on the sexual nature of all emblems, symbolism and ritual, throughout the work. The author's vast research shows that he was very well acquainted with the languages and literatures of antiquity. He presents an immense amount of curious lore with regard to the sacred rites and ceremonies of ancient religions. The symbols, emblems and images which have served as representatives of Deity, and which have received worship from man, are shown to be much the same the world over. Inman traces these emblems, etc., through the Egyptian, Assyrian, Hebrew, Syrian, and other religions. A very odd work indeed.