Thealluringmermaidssightedbylonelymariners.Thewingedangels,byturnsavengingandcomforting,thataboundinChristianart.ThefearsomeMinotaurofGreekmythology.Animal-headeddeities,fromtheelephant-headedGaneshainIndiatothefalcon-headedHorusinancientEgypt.Anenigmaticcavepaintingrepresentingapossiblyshamanicfigurewiththehindpartsofamanandtheforepartsofastag.Asfarbackaswegoinhumanhistory,wefindtherianthropes,oranimal-humanhybrids.Inthisthoughtfulvolume,PhilipF.Palmedosurveyseachofthemajorcategoriesoftherianthropeinturn--fromanimal-headedbeingstomerpeopletoshape-shifters--withparticularattentiontotheirrolesinreligion,folklore,andthepopularconsciousness.Withwell-chosencolorillustrations,hedemonstrateshowartistsofallerashaveshapedourconceptionofthesemythicalbeings.Palmedoclosesthebookbytheorizingabouttheultimateoriginandmeaningoftherianthropes,placingthematthenexusofourcloseancestralrelationshipwiththeanimalworld.FromAngelstoWerewolveswillfascinateanyonewithaninterestinmyth,fantasy,orthehuman-animalbond.
ANGELS WEREWOLVES ANIMAL FANTASY
