Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians Book PDF, ePub eBook

Join our eBook service for unlimited books & audiobooks. Get a free 7 day subscription! ↓↓↓↓↓


Book Descriptions:

The sagas of the ancient Narts are to the Caucasus what Greek mythology is to Western civilization. This book presents, for the first time in the West, a wide selection of these fascinating myths preserved among four related peoples whose ancient cultures today survive by a thread. In ninety-two straightforward tales populated by extraordinary characters and exploits, by giants who humble haughty Narts, by horses and sorceresses, Nart Sagas from the Caucasus brings these cultures to life in a powerful epos.

In these colorful tales, women, not least the beautiful temptress Satanaya, the mother of all Narts, are not only fertility figures but also pillars of authority and wisdom. In one variation on a recurring theme, a shepherd, overcome with passion on observing Satanaya bathing alone, shoots a "bolt of lust" that strikes a rock--a rock that gives birth to the Achilles-like Sawseruquo, or Sosruquo. With steely skin but tender knees, Sawseruquo is a man the Narts come to love and hate.

Despite a tragic history, the Circassians, Abazas, Abkhaz, and Ubykhs have retained the Nart sagas as a living tradition. The memory of their elaborate warrior culture, so richly expressed by these tales, helped them resist Tsarist imperialism in the nineteenth century, Stalinist suppression in the twentieth, and has bolstered their ongoing cultural journey into the post-Soviet future.

Because these peoples were at the crossroads of Eurasia for millennia, their myths exhibit striking parallels with the lore of ancient India, classical Greece, and pagan Scandinavia. The Nart sagas may also have formed a crucial component of the Arthurian cycle. Notes after each tale reveal these parallels; an appendix offers extensive linguistic commentary. With this book, no longer will the analysis of ancient Eurasian myth be possible without a close look at the Nart sagas. And no longer will the lover of myth be satisfied without the pleasure of having read them.

Excerpts from the Nart sagas

"The Narts were a tribe of heroes. They were huge, tall people, and their horses were also exuberant Alyps or Durduls. They were wealthy, and they also had a state. That is how the Narts lived their lives. . . ."

"The Narts were courageous, energetic, bold, and good-hearted. Thus they lived until God sent down a small swallow. . . ."

"The Narts were very cruel to one another. They were envious of one another. They disputed among themselves over who was the most courageous. But most of all they hated Sosruquo. . . . A rock gave birth to him. He is the son of a rock, illegally born a mere shepherd's son. . . ."

In a new introduction, folklorist Adrienne Mayor reflects on these tales both in terms of the fascinating warrior culture they depict and the influence they had on Greco-Roman mythology.

Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians

From reader reviews:

Stephen Stover:

The book Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians give you a sense of feeling enjoy for your spare time. You need to use to make your capable much more increase. Book can being your best friend when you getting strain or having big problem with your subject. If you can make looking at a book Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians being your habit, you can get far more advantages, like add your capable, increase your knowledge about many or all subjects. You can know everything if you like wide open and read a guide Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians. Kinds of book are several. It means that, science guide or encyclopedia or other individuals. So , how do you think about this reserve?

Louise Rosenbaum:

What do you in relation to book? It is not important to you? Or just adding material if you want something to explain what your own problem? How about your time? Or are you busy person? If you don't have spare time to try and do others business, it is gives you the sense of being bored faster. And you have extra time? What did you do? Every individual has many questions above. The doctor has to answer that question simply because just their can do in which. It said that about guide. Book is familiar on every person. Yes, it is right. Because start from on kindergarten until university need this particular Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians to read.

Stacey Thompson:

This Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians tend to be reliable for you who want to be described as a successful person, why. The reason of this Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians can be one of the great books you must have is actually giving you more than just simple looking at food but feed anyone with information that maybe will shock your before knowledge. This book will be handy, you can bring it everywhere and whenever your conditions at e-book and printed ones. Beside that this Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians giving you an enormous of experience for instance rich vocabulary, giving you tryout of critical thinking that we understand it useful in your day action. So , let's have it and revel in reading.

Oscar Jackson:

That e-book can make you to feel relax. This specific book Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians was multi-colored and of course has pictures around. As we know that book Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians has many kinds or genre. Start from kids until youngsters. For example Naruto or Private eye Conan you can read and think that you are the character on there. Therefore not at all of book are generally make you bored, any it can make you feel happy, fun and chill out. Try to choose the best book in your case and try to like reading this.