The Mothers: A Study of the Origins of Sentiments and Institutions

869 Pages·1927·32.77 MB·English

by  Robert Briffault

This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized
by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the
information in books and make it universally accessible.
https://books.google.com

STANFORD UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
:

THE MOTHERS

THE MOTHERS
A STUDY OF THE ORIGINS OF
SENTIMENTS AND INSTITUTIONS
BY
ROBERT BRIFFAULT
VOL. Ill
NEW YORK
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1927
Allrightsresanted
COPYRIGHT, 1927,
BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
Setupand printed.
PublishedMay,1927.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
By J. J. LU1U &. Itu Company. Ntw York
CONTENTS
Chapter XXIII
THE MAGICAL ORIGIN OF QUEENS
The reinterpretation of primitive cults often associated with the transfer
ofpriestlyfunctions to men and with the establishmentofmonarchical
institutions, pp. I sq. ; also with the development of agriculture, p. 2.
Agricultural magic, pp. 2-4.—Magical procedures associated with agricul
tural operations primitively appertaining to the sphere of women,
p. 2 ; the invention of agriculture traditionally ascribed to women,
ibid. ; magic regarded as indispensable to the success of agricultural
operations, pp. 3sq.
Vestal fires, pp. 4-9.—Magic fires used to promote the growth of crops,
pp. 4 sq. ; to control the rainfall, pp. 5sq. ; sacred fires extinguished
on unauspicious occasions, pp. 6sq. ; other fires extinguished while
the sacred fire is being relit, pp. 7sq. ; association of sacred fires
with the moon, pp. 8sqq.
Rain-making, pp. 9-16.—Rain-making rites carried out by women, pp. 9-14 ;
the assistance of women regarded as indispensable by male rain
makers, pp. 15sq.
Magical functions of queens, pp. 16-21.—Queens frequently discharge the
functions of priestesses, pp. 16-21 ; the queens, or ' Mothers ' in
Dahomey, p. 16; the ' Mothers ' in Peru, pp. 16-18; the Roman
Vestals, or ' Mothers,' pp. 18-21.
Archaicqueenship,pp. 21-45.—Royalpowerbeingadevelopmentofadvanced
societies and associated with military conquerors, usually exercised
by men, pp. 21 sq. ; occasional development of royal power in the
hands of women in matriarchal societies : pure gynaecocracies,
pp. 23sq. ; royal power vested in a sacred clan, and transmitted by
the women according to matriarchal rules of succession, pp. 25-44 ;
the Sun-clan of the Natchez : slave-husbands, pp. 25 sq. ; the Incas
of Peru ; dynastic incest, p. 26; royalty in Polynesia, pp. 26-28 ;
royalty in Africa, pp. 28-37 '< royalty in ancient Egypt, pp. 37-44;
position of Egyptian queens, pp. 37-44 ; the Nubian ' Kandake,'
pp. 40-42 ; dynastic incest, p. 42 ; legitimisation of usurpers by their
marriage with royal princesses or dowager queens, pp. 43 sq. ; women
the original wielders of agricultural and royal magic, pp. 44sq.