Creation of the Sacred

Tracks of Biology in Early Religions

Walter Burkert

    Preface

    Culture in a Landscape: Situating Religion

    Beyond Culture

    Sociobiology?

    A Common World: Reduction and Validation

    Escape and Offerings

    Finger Sacrifice

    Biology, Fantasy, and Ritual

    Castration and Circumcision

    Scapegoats

    Life for Life

    The Core of a Tale

    "Caught up in Tales"

    The Propp Sequence: The Quest

    From Biological Programs to Semantic Chains

    The Shaman's Tale

    The Initiation Tale: The Maiden's Tragedy

    Hierarchy

    The Awareness of Rank

    Rituals of Submission

    The Strategy of Praise

    Two-Tiered Power

    The Language of Power: The Envoy

    Guilt and Causality

    Religious Therapy and the Search for Guilt

    Present Sufferings

    The Foundation of Cults

    The Mediators: Risks and Opportunities

    Explanatory Models: Fetters, Wrath, Pollution

    The Reciprocity of Giving

    Le don in Perspective

    Giving in Religion

    Genealogy of Morality?

    Failing Reciprocity: Religious Criticism

    Failing Reciprocity: The Facts of Ritual

    Gift and Sacrifice

    Aversion and Offerings: From Panic to Stability

    The Validation of Signs: A Cosmos of Sense

    Accepting Signs: Divination

    Decision through Signs: The Ordeal

    Creating Signs: Territory and Body

    Language Validated: The Oath

    Conclusion

    Abbreviations

    Notes

    Bibliography

    Index

  • Cover: Creation of the Sacred
  • A photo of the author

Walter Burkert is Professor Emeritus of Classics, University of Zurich.