This edition presents the ethnographic material and historical context behind these diverse groups, from African bushmen to Negritos and other tiny peoples of the Pacific and Asia.

Drawing on a wide range of sources, the book traces how early beliefs about pygmies appeared in Classical and newer science, and how later researchers surveyed physical traits, languages, religious beliefs, and social roles. It weaves together physical descriptions, cultural practices, and mythologies to show how these communities have been understood across centuries, without losing sight of the people themselves.

Grounds the history of pygmy myths in real ethnographic study and dated sources
Profiles groups such as the Mincopies, Negritos, Hottentots, and Bushmen with careful description
Explains religious beliefs, rituals, and views of life, death, and the afterlife
Includes extensive illustrations, footnotes, and appendices that illuminate the material

Ideal for readers of anthropology, ethnology, and the history of human races seeking a rigorous, readable survey of a long‑standing human topic.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

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