Abstract
THIS volume contains a number of legends and folk-tales selected from the collections made by Dr. Leo Frobenius among the various peoplos he has visited in his numerous expeditions in Africa for the purpose of studying prehistoric rock-engravings and paintings. Hence in geographical distribution they cover a wide field, ranging from North Africa to Southern Rhodesia, and etlinically includo Kabyle, the Sudanese tribes, Hausa and in the south Wahunga and Bathonga. Most, but not quite all, have been selected for the light they may throw on the meaning and purpose of the rock-drawings and paintings. Thus in the Kabyle creation legends, the parts played by bull and ram explain the prominence of these animals in the art, while the raised arms of a human figure before the bull in a certain drawing is a sign of adoration, and not of panic as has been thought. It is interesting to find what would appear to be a trace of the influence of Egyptian royal marriage custom in these legends.
African Genesis
By Leo Frobenius Douglas C. Fox. Pp. 265. (London: Faber and Faber, Ltd., 1938.) 12s. 6d. net.
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Archaeology and Ethnology. Nature 144, 894 (1939). https://doi.org/10.1038/144894b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/144894b0