The Origin of Civilisation and the Primitive Condition of Man: Mental and Social Condition of Savages (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

John Lubbock

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 048461603X ISBN 13: 9780484616034

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Explore how ancient minds used stones, figures, and rituals to explain the world and organize society.

In this volume, the author surveys the mental and social life of early peoples, tracing how beliefs about stones, mountains, and boundary markers shaped religious ideas across continents. From the reverence of sacred stones in India to the stone-worship that figures in Egyptian and Greek traditions, the discussion links everyday practices to broader social structures. The text examines how markers, red paint, and monuments encode memory, law, and status, revealing patterns that underlie many later cultures.

The work connects diverse customs—such as frontiers, marriage and kinship, and the treatment of the dead—with overarching questions about how human thought develops and diversifies. It presents a method for understanding religion as a shared, evolving response to social need, rather than a fixed system. The material blends historical references with thoughtful interpretation to illuminate early ways people explained the world.

• How boundary-stones and upright rocks become objects of worship and social order
• Cross-cultural examples of stone- and mountain-worship from India, Egypt, New Zealand, and beyond
• Connections between sacred color use, tomb markers, and community memory
• Ideas about the origins of religious symbols and their relation to trade, travel, and law

Ideal for readers of anthropology, history, and the study of religion who want a clear, comparative look at early belief systems and social life.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 048461603X
• ISBN 13: 9780484616034
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 620