CONTENTS

PAGE
[CHAPTER I]
INTRODUCTORY
I. The Importance of the Sacred Dance [1]
II. The Meaning of the Sacred Dance [5]
III. The reason for using the Old Testament as the starting-point in the investigation [8]
IV. The Sources of Information: [9]
(1) Inscriptions [10]
(2) Pottery, etc. [10]
(3) Ancient Literature [11]
(4) Modern Literature [11]
[CHAPTER II]
THE ORIGIN AND PURPOSES OF THE SACRED DANCE
I. The Origin of the Sacred Dance [13]
II. The Purposes of the Sacred Dance [19]
[CHAPTER III]
THE SACRED DANCE AMONG THE ISRAELITES
I. The Sacred Dance among the Israelites [31]
II. Types of the Sacred Dance among the Israelites: [35]
(1) The sacred processional dance [36]
(2) The encircling of a sacred object [37]
(3) The ecstatic dance [37]
(4) Sacred dances at Vintage and Harvest Festivals [39]
(5) Dances in celebration of victory [40]
(6) The sacred dance as a Circumcision rite [41]
(7) The sacred dance as a Marriage rite [41]
(8) The sacred dance as a Burial or Mourning rite [42]
[CHAPTER IV]
THE OLD TESTAMENT TERMS FOR “DANCING”
I. Consideration of some Hebrew roots [44]
II. The Musical Accompaniment to Dancing [51]
[CHAPTER V]
THE SACRED PROCESSIONAL DANCE, AND DANCES IN HONOUR OF SUPERNATURAL POWERS
I. The Sacred Processional Dance among the Israelites [54]
II. Among the Syrians and Arabs, and other Semites [56]
III. Among the Hittites [59]
IV. Among the Egyptians [60]
V. Among the Greeks [63]
VI. Among the Romans [73]
VII. Among Asiatic peoples [76]
VIII. Among Uncultured races [77]
Summary and Considerations [81]
[CHAPTER VI]
THE RITUAL DANCE ROUND A SACRED OBJECT
I. Among the Israelites [88]
II. Among other Semites [94]
III. Among the Greeks [97]
IV. Among the Romans [100]
V. Among Uncultured races [101]
Summary and Considerations [104]
[CHAPTER VII]
THE ECSTATIC DANCE
I. Among the Israelites [107]
II. Among other Semites [115]
III. Among the Greeks and Romans [119]
IV. Among Uncultured races [128]
Summary and Considerations [135]
[CHAPTER VIII]
THE SACRED DANCE AT VINTAGE, HARVEST, AND OTHER FESTIVALS
I. The Israelite Feasts [140]
II. Circumcision Feasts among the Semites [144]
III. The Sacred Dance at Egyptian Festivals [145]
IV. The Sacred Dance at Greek Festivals [146]
V. The Sacred Dance at Roman Festivals [149]
VI. The Sacred Dance at Festivals among Uncultured races [151]
Summary and Considerations [154]
[CHAPTER IX]
DANCES IN CELEBRATION OF VICTORY
I. Among the Israelites [159]
II. The Original Purpose of this type of Dance among Uncultured races [167]
Summary and Considerations [173]
[CHAPTER X]
THE SACRED DANCE AS A MARRIAGE RITE
I. Among the Israelites, the “Dance of Maḥanaim” [177]
II. Among some Uncultured races [184]
III. Some further purposes of this type of Dance [189]
Summary and Considerations [191]
[CHAPTER XI]
DANCING AS A MOURNING AND BURIAL RITE
I. The Old Testament and this type of Dance [194]
II. The rite among mediæval and modern Jews [198]
III. The rite among the Egyptians, ancient and modern [202]
IV. The rite among the Greeks and Romans [207]
V. The rite among Uncultured races [209]
Summary and Considerations [219]
INDEX [223]