Author: Grafton Elliot Smith

Grafton Elliot Smith (1871-1937) was an eminent Australian-British anatomist and a proponent of cultural diffusionism in anthropology. His academic journey began in Australia, where he graduated in medicine before proceeding to the UK for further studies. Smith”s capacious scholarship was marked by his appointment as Professor of Anatomy at the University of Manchester and later at University College London. His literary oeuvre was diverse, though he is perhaps best remembered for his controversial contributions to diffusionist theory, which posited that all major cultural innovations originated from a single ancient civilization and spread to others. In his work “The Evolution of the Dragon” (1919), Smith explores the concept of dragons and related mythological creatures across various cultures. He suggests that the dragon myth is an amalgamation of ancient folklore, intertwined with anthropological and psychological interpretations. The book is a reflection of his broader interest in the development of mythologies as cultural universals. Smith”s literary style is characterized by a blend of scientific rigor and broad speculative inquiry, aimed at synthesizing disparate cultural phenomena under a unified anthropological theory. His work has left an indelible mark on the fields of anthropology and comparative mythology, although his diffusionist perspective has been subject to debate and reevaluation within the academic community.