Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living

(Paperback, Main)

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 BRITISH ACADEMY BOOK PRIZE

From fire walking to funerals, the hidden science of the rituals that give life meaning

Ritual is perhaps the oldest, and certainly the most enigmatic, thread in human culture. Apparently pointless ceremonies pervade every documented society: from handshakes to hexes, hazings to parades. Before we learned to farm, we were gathering in giant stone temples. And yet, though rituals exist in every culture and can persist nearly unchanged for centuries, their logic has remained a mystery until now.

Today, a fearless new generation of anthropologists is venturing into this shadowy realm. Armed with cutting-edge technology and drawing on discoveries from a huge range of disciplines, they emerge with a powerful new perspective on our place in the world. Join the pathfinding scientist Dimitris Xygalatas on a tour of human culture at its strangest. In coronations, in silent prayer, in fire-walks and in all the bewildering variety of humanity's ritual life, Xygalatas reveals the deep and subtle mechanisms that bind us together.

Reviews

'A fascinating well researched book about a fascinating subject. You will learn a lot' - Dr Jane Goodall, DBE

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

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

'An elegantly simple and deeply persuasive argument which generalises to other forms of delusional belief.' - Professor Mark Solms, author

'The great mystery of human behavior is ritual. How do we explain circumcisions, debutante balls, hazing, royal coronations, and fire-walking Dimitris Xygalatas is a brilliant polymath and this fascinating book explores this question through a mix of scientific research, evolutionary theorizing, and deep immersion into cultures with gruesome and painful rituals. An important intellectual contribution and a true delight to read' - Paul Bloom, author

Author Bio

Dimitris Xygalatas is a pioneering anthropologist and cognitive scientist who runs the experimental anthropology lab at the University of Connecticut. He has been interviewed about his groundbreaking work by the Guardian, The New York Times, the Daily Mail, PBS, the History Channel and many other outlets.