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Hilda M. Ransome
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The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore (Dover Books on Anthropology and Folklore) Paperback – April 9, 2004

by Hilda M. Ransome (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 131 ratings
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No creature has provided man with so much wholesome food as the honey bee. Equally impressive is the number of beliefs and superstitions the industrious insect has inspired. Its honey, which was known to the ancient Greeks as the “food of the Gods,” played an important role in early religious rites and was also mentioned in the folklore of many peoples. Hilda Ransome's well-documented and copiously illustrated study of bees focuses on this valuable byproduct of nature and its creator — the "sacred" bee.
Chapters cover the folklore of bees and bee culture — from Egyptian, Babylonian, Chinese, Hittite, and other ancient sources as well as practices in modern England, France, and Central Europe. Thirty-five plates of rare black-and-white illustrations depict bees, hives, and beekeepers as they appear in ancient paintings and sculpture, on coins, jewelry, and Mayan glyphs; and carved into African tree trunks. Folk stories from Finland and the bee in America are also described.
Hailed by The New York Times as possessing an "oddity, beauty, and broad scholarly interest," this unusual book will attract a wide audience — nature lovers and folklore enthusiasts included.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dover Publications
  4. Publication date
    April 9, 2004
  5. Dimensions
    5.48 x 0.69 x 8.46 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    048643494X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0486434940
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications; Reproduction edition (April 9, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 048643494X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0486434940
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.48 x 0.69 x 8.46 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 131 ratings

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Hilda M. Ransome

Hilda M. Ransome

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
131 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

MS
5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written report
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2018
Verified Purchase
Just to be clear to prospective buyers, this book isn’t written like a series of stories (which is what I kind of expected), rather it’s written like an incredibly well-researched thesis on the history of bees and beekeeping. I was specifically looking for info on bees in Ancient Greece and references in Greek myths and found what I needed within seconds. I’m so impressed by the thorough research.
12 people found this helpful
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Jane Eyre
5.0 out of 5 stars The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore by H. M. Ransome
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2017
Verified Purchase
The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore is not a kiddie book. It is written in the old academic style of the previous century, filled with footnotes and acknowledgments to sources, quotations in foreign languages. I happen to like this style of writing. It is a valuable book because many of the author's sources were very close to the artefacts and texts that she mentions. Although the author may have understood the ancient meanings, according to her own cultural perceptions, which I assume was British, she nevertheless presents a long history of bee keeping and the folklore that has accompanied human interaction with bees for over 5,000 years. This kind of research is not a quickie wiki re-spouting. It takes a bit of work to read, but, after all, consider all the reading and work compiling this research into pleasant chapters. If the reader is inclined, they could look up the cited sources and make their own discoveries and conclusions. I call these citations "breadcrumbs" because then one can get to the earliest source. The photos are old style, and black and white, and due to reproduction processes, not often as clear as one might like. But, we know where the author got them, so we could look for ourselves, or for better or more recent photos. Some of the interpretations may be construed differently, but that is how interpretations work. What I have learned is that the honey bee has been recognized as important to human well being as grain and wine in both food and medicine. The honey bee is under a severe threat of extinction due to modern pesticide practices. Read this book and learn how our ancestors understood that without honeybees, there is only desolate barren land.
16 people found this helpful
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Christopher
5.0 out of 5 stars Strengthen our ties to the good earth...
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2014
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A very well written book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. A nice research present to your partner. Living under the stars and wide opened farm lands we always wondered about having bees around just to strengthen our ties with the good earth. This summer we are building bee housing. It's an exciting inspirational read. Cheers!
5 people found this helpful
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Rachel
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2018
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This book is almost an exhaustive collection of myths and ancient beekeeping practices. For any history nut or beekeeper curious how our ancestors went about beekeeping, its a very good book. I was looking more for insights as to how the Ancients kept their bees before the modern blights of beekeeping hit in order to challenge my thinking towards keeping bees, but this book is more on the mythology and archaeology information side of things
5 people found this helpful
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Nottsdottir
5.0 out of 5 stars The Lady definitely KNOWS her stuff!
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
Exceptionally research. Brilliant and engaging, if this is your bag then be prepared to be amazed. Would highly recommend.
2 people found this helpful
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Sakina Bush
3.0 out of 5 stars Long list of historical references
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2021
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This book was written in 1937. It is a dry academic collection of every reference to bees found in antiquity and reads like a long list divided into cultural sections. It did pique my curiosity about some of the old Goddesses, and it effectively conveyed how the bee had an important presence in the ancient world. I do not enjoy reading it but consider it to have value for lovers of Bee.
4 people found this helpful
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Massimo Maddaloni
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent scholarly assay.
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2015
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This is an unabridged reprint of a much older (1937) book. It is an excellent overview of honey bees' lore across centuries and across cultures. It is a treasure trove of information and inspiration. It is not an easy reading: it is a scholarly assay. Pictures show their age but this does not detract from the usefulness. The price is obscenely low.
7 people found this helpful
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Esca
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2017
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Just a wonderful book for anyone interested in bees and bee worship through the ancient world
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

ancientharp
4.0 out of 5 stars A good book
Reviewed in Canada on November 12, 2018
Verified Purchase
It has some good information, but it didn't wow me.
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S M LITTLE
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for bee lovers
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 15, 2016
Verified Purchase
A must for bee lovers, wonderful read.
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Fontana Paolo
5.0 out of 5 stars A fundamental txt
Reviewed in Italy on December 26, 2015
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A fundamental text. This reedition is a fundamental source for any prfon iunterested in the relation bee-man. It is important to Read this book to go to True springs of knowledge
One person found this helpful
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Krish Aiyar
5.0 out of 5 stars Too good..
Reviewed in India on February 20, 2015
Verified Purchase
Haven't read the book fully yet... only in the second chapter so far... But even as I laid hands on it & read patiently past the contents pages & the list of illustrations, I found it staggering & exhilarating... Too good... just as wholesome as the honey & the bees it talks about... Excellent!!! :)
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leonidas
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2017
Verified Purchase
excellent
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