The Sacred Tree; or, the tree in religion and myth

This volume offers a concise yet vivid survey of humanity’s oldest reverence for trees, tracing how countless societies have imagined the forested giant as a dwelling for spirits, a conduit to the divine, or a living emblem of fertility. Drawing from art, folklore, and ancient texts, it shows how the sacred tree appears in everything from Assyrian cylinders and Greek temples to Asian bamboo groves and the Scandinavian world‑tree, Yggdrasil.

Through a richly illustrated collection of carvings, coins, and manuscripts, the author weaves together disparate traditions to reveal common threads in primitive belief—whether a tree is feared, honored, or invoked in ritual. The book’s accessible style makes these far‑flung customs feel immediate, inviting listeners to glimpse the universal human impulse to find the divine in the whisper of leaves and the strength of trunks.