Encyclopedia of Taboos

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Taboos written by Lynn Holden and published by ABC-CLIO. This book was released on 2000-12 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What are the origins of table manners? What are the politics of cannibalism? Why is the left hand thought to be sinister? These apparently unrelated questions all hinge on the fundamental notion of taboo. Far from being peripheral leftovers from distant times and places, taboos are a crucial part of any society, determining how people must and must not behave. The Encyclopedia of Taboos is a mine of unusual information from around the world, including a comprehensive analysis of individual taboos from the ancient world to the present day, covering both well- and lesser-known examples.