Autor: Edgar Thurston

Edgar Thurston (1855–1935) was a renowned British ethnographer and superintendent at the Madras Government Museum who significantly contributed to the study of ethnography, anthropology, and folklore in India during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His scholarly work, „Omens & Superstitions of Southern India“ (1912), stands as a testament to his meticulous research and profound insights into the cultural practices and belief systems prevalent among the diverse communities of Southern India. Thurston“s keen observation and analytical skills are evident in his detailed classification of various omens and superstitions, from the interpretation of celestial phenomena to the significance of plants, animals, and rituals in everyday life. This book is considered an essential resource for those interested in the anthropology of religion and the cultural heritage of India. His literary style is characterized by an empirical approach, interspersing narrative with data and local accounts, which has rendered his work both accessible to a lay audience and valuable to researchers. Though some of his ideas might now seem dated due to the evolution of scholarly approaches, Thurston“s contributions remain a foundational stone in the fields of South Asian studies and ethnographic research.