| Examines one of the most prevalent images found in perhaps every culture worldwide, in which human and animal attributes are combined and regarded as divine. Representations of this possibly archetypal figure characteristically possess the horns of a bull, goat, ram, or related animal, or else the antlers of a stag. Prominent examples include the "shamanic" figures found in Paleolithic sanctuaries; Greek gods Pan and Dionysus; the Minotaur; Proto-Shiva of the Indus Valley; Celtic god Cernunnos; and the Devil. Also investigates the worship of horned animals, including mythological creatures (e.g., the unicorn or horned serpent), as well as the signification of horns themselves.;Demonstrates that iconography of the Horned God in the West is found not only in prehistoric, ancient, and traditional religion or mythology, but has persisted through the centuries up through the 20th. Chronologically traces subject in its many manifestations from its initial appearance in prehistory through contemporary times. Cultural areas examined: the Paleolithic; Neolithic; Near East; Egypt; India; Crete; Greece/Rome; Celtic/Nordic Europe; Early Christian era; Middle Ages; Mannerism to Neoclassicism; Romanticism; Victorian era; Modern era; Indigenous America; Folk traditions and subcultures. Method adopted is iconographic/iconologic, in which the various images of the Horned God as well as their underlying meaning are examined. Focuses primarily on pictorial representation, but also includes literary depictions, beginning with classical literature. Modern horned gods include those found in the performing arts, film, and popular culture, as well as visual arts and literature.;Two primary areas of inquiry are pursued: (1) the dominant or significant cultural factors (social structure, religious and philosophical views, historical events, psychological attitudes, artistic values) that have contributed to a particular image of the Horned God; and (2) the essential nature of the Horned God.;Concluding analysis argues that representations of the Horned God found in a particular time and place not only express a culture's response toward "animal nature," but more significantly, disclose the dynamics of certain underlying tensions or polarities ("the zoocentric", "the divine," "the anthropocentric," and "the diabolic") that can be seen to determine many of humankind's underlying concerns. |
