Primitive Paternity Or The Myth of Supernatural Birth in Relation to the History of the Family

Primitive Paternity is a book by Edwin Sidney Hartland that explores the history of the family and the myth of supernatural birth. The book delves into the concept of primitive paternity, which refers to the belief that a child's father is not a human being, but rather a supernatural being such as a god or spirit. Hartland examines the origins of this belief and its prevalence across various cultures and societies throughout history. He also explores the role of women in these societies and how the myth of supernatural birth affected their status and position in the family and society as a whole.The book is divided into several chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of the myth of supernatural birth and its relation to the history of the family. Hartland draws on a wide range of sources, including mythology, folklore, and anthropological studies, to provide a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the topic.Overall, Primitive Paternity is a thought-provoking and insightful book that sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of human history and culture. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the family, mythology, and anthropology.1909. This book contains Volumes 1 and 2 of the original work. The beliefs, customs and institutions of tribes in a low degree of civilization are our only clue to those of a more archaic condition no longer in existence. They are evolved from them and are the outgrowth of ideas which underlay them. When we find a belief, a custom or an institution, still more when we find a connected series of beliefs, customs and institutions, over spreading the lower culture, we may reasonably infer its root in ideas common to mankind and native to the primitive ancestral soil. The advance of even the most backward from primeval savagery has been so great that a large harvest of these ideas is not to be expected. But, the researches yielded enough, it is hoped, to afford a satisfactory solution of, among others, the problem under consideration in this volume.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.