The Encircled Serpent. A Study of Serpent Symbolism in all Countries and Ages.
Philadelphia: David McKay Co., ND ( circa 1926 ). First US Edition. Hardcover. Large octavo. xii+ 412pp. Navy cloth with gilt titling and rules to spine, blind rules to upper board; color frontis of Stonehenge, b&w illustrations, index. A broad-ranging study of the serpent motif in all its diversity, a symbol regarded by the author as - "the most widespread, comprehensive, and marvelous, ever conceived by the human race." Chapter headings: 'The Uraeon', 'The Serpent-Gods of Egypt', 'The Ruined Temples of Cambodia', 'Krishna and the Nagas', 'Buddha and the Nagas', 'The Serpents of Siva', 'The Caduceus', 'Nehushtan, or The Brazen Serpent', 'Aesculapius or the Healing Serpent', 'The Heraldic Serpent', 'The Serpent and the Tree', 'The Serpent as a Phallic Emblem', 'Apollo and the Python', 'Perseus and the Gorgons', 'Bel Merodach and Tiamat', 'St. Michael and the Dragon', 'St. George and the Dragon', 'St. Patrick and the Irish Serpents', 'Women Serpent Subduers', 'The Fascination of the Serpent', 'The Serpent as Amulet and Charm', 'Serpent Charmers', 'The Serpent as a Portent', 'The Ophites', 'Negro Ophiolatry', 'Chinese Serpent Lore', 'Japanese Ophiolatry', 'Australian and Polynesian Ophiolatry', 'North American Ophiolatry', 'The Solar Serpent in Mexico', 'The Amphisbaena', 'The Basilisk', 'The Lamiae', 'Serpent Genii and Jinn', 'The Furies', 'The Snake Stone', 'The Naga in Nature Myth', 'Satan as a Serpent', 'The Sea-Serpent', 'The Midgard Serpent.' Light bruising and chafing to corners and spine ends, light browning to page edges, a few finger smudges to endpapers, pages toned but clean and unmarked. Overall a tight, bright VG+ copy in VG example of the scarce dust jacket (Dust jacket a bit rubbed and chafed at all edges and extremities, spine darkened and spine ends lightly chipped and torn, not clipped. Now protected by removeable mylar sleeve). Item #63904
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