BKFBLTFS.RVW   980719

"From Black Land to Fifth Sun", Brian Fagan, 1998, 0-201-95991-7,
U$26.00/C$36.95
%A   Brian Fagan
%C   P.O. Box 520, 26 Prince Andrew Place, Don Mills, Ontario M3C 2T8
%D   1998
%G   0-201-95991-7
%I   Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
%O   U$26.00/C$36.95 416-447-5101 fax: 416-443-0948 bkexpress@aw.com
%P   403 p.
%T   "From Black Land to Fifth Sun"

"`From Black Land to Fifth Sun' describes how archaeologists use
modern science to study ancient cosmologies and religious beliefs." 
So quoth the preface.  However, even granting that this is a
popularizing work rather than a scholarly one, we must protest the
lack of material germane to the subject.  While most of the book may
deal with archeology, that majority is rather slim.  Even less of the
text deals with religion, and the contribution of what might be termed
modern science is tenuous indeed.  According to the book, the sum
total of what modern science contributes to our understanding of
ancient religions through archeology is vanishingly small.

There is a good deal of interesting content in the book, so long as
you aren't picky about the subject.  (On the other hand, I should note
that the first day, admittedly short of rest, that I tried to review
the book I kept falling asleep.)  If you have no background in
archeology there are some nice explanations of basic methods and
practices.  The chapters touch on some of the more well-known
archeological sites and areas.  Along the way are some engaging
descriptions of religious beliefs and practices recounted by some of
the last adherents.

The total content, though, gives us little dependable information
about religion except where reports from practitioners are available. 
Fagan admits the standard joke that a religious object is defined by
lack of understanding on the part of the researcher, but then does
nothing to ensure to the reader that artifacts presented as religious
objects are, in fact, just that.

The organization of the book does not help matters.  Chapter divisions
are by site or culture, covering basic archeology, European cave
paintings, San art, the middle east, tribes of northern Zimbabwe,
Avebury, Stonehenge, southwestern US pueblo dwellers, eastern US
moundbuilders, Minoan culture, Phylakopi, Egypt, Xunantunich, and
Tenochtitlan.  Thus an examination of the "Goddess" cult looks at only
two major sites and a few other examples.  Ancestor worship is based
on only a single (still living) culture.  Where reports or texts are
not available the determinations about religion are extremely
tentative, so that Avebury and Silbury Hill are admitted to be
complete mysteries.

While possibly entertaining and sometimes informative, the contents of
this book will come as no surprise to anyone who has had a grade
school level course in "The Ancient World."

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998   BKFBLTFS.RVW   980719