Ritual

Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts

by Dimitris Xygalatas

A TELEGRAPH 'Best Smart Thinking Books of 2022' PICK

A radical anthropologist takes readers on a journey through the shadow-side of human civilization. Ground-breaking research into one of humanity's most potent social forces / Vivid descriptions of ceremonial spectacles, subtle human dramas and fascinating, little-known locations / Will appeal to readers of Sapiens, The Power of Habit, The Body Keeps the Score and The History of Magic

Ritual is the oldest, and certainly the most enigmatic, thread in the history of human culture. And it presents a profound paradox: people ascribe the utmost importance to their rituals, but few can explain why they are so important. Apparently pointless ceremonies pervade every documented society, from handshakes to hexes, hazings to parades. Before we ever learned to farm, we were gathering in giant stone temples to perform elaborate rites and ceremonies. And yet, though rituals exist in every cultureand can persist nearly unchanged for centuries, their logic has remained a mystery until now. In Ritual, pioneering scientist Dimitris Xygalatas leads us on an enlightening tour through this shadowy realm of human behaviour. Armed with cutting-edge technology and drawing on discoveries from a huge range of disciplines, he presents a powerful new perspective on our place in the world. In coronations, in silent prayer, in fire-walks and terrifying rites of passage, in all the bewildering variety of human life, Ritual reveals the deep and subtle mechanisms that bind us together.

 Praise ----------------------------------------------------------------

"A gripping guide to rites and customs around the world ... this engrossing account begs a sequel." --New Scientist

"Fascinating ... pacy, adventurous" --Mail on Sunday