The Children of the Sun: A Study in the Early History of Civilization

Description:

Second edition, revised. This work first appeared in 1923, and in 'A Note of the Second Edition', the author states, 'In this edition I have corrected some mistakes in detail that have been pointed out by my critics, friendly and hostile. ... As the result of four years' criticism I see no reason to modify any of the main conclusions.'

A key work of early twentieth-century anthropology, presents W.J. Perry’s (1887-1949) influential diffusionist theory of human culture. Expanding upon the ideas of G. Elliot Smith, Perry argues that many of the world’s ancient civilizations - particularly those associated with sun worship, megalithic monuments, metallurgy, and kingship - originated from a single cultural source and spread globally through migration and contact. Though later scholarship has challenged its conclusions, the book remains an important document in the history of anthropological thought and the study of comparative religion and ancient civilizations.

Condition

8vo, orig. green cloth. Vg in original printed d/w (minor edge wear; in removable protective sleeve). Some foxing to edges of text block and preliminaries. Signed by the author (dated 12.11.34) to title page. From the library of Prof. Alexander James Edward Cave, (1900-2001) with his signature to endpaper, and his occasional neat pencil annotations to margins, and a list of pencil notes relating to the text to rear endpaper. Cave was a leading British anatomist and physical anthropologist - Professor of Anatomy, St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, 1946-1967, and President of the Linnean Society 1970-1973. His research included the study of ancient Egyptian human remains.