THE SACRED DANCE
A STUDY IN COMPARATIVE FOLKLORE
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
C. F. CLAY, Manager
LONDON: FETTER LANE, E.C. 4
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THE SACRED DANCE
A STUDY IN COMPARATIVE FOLKLORE
By
W. O. E. OESTERLEY, D.D.
Vicar of St Alban’s, Acton Green, W.
Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of London
CAMBRIDGE
AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS
1923
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
The following study is an attempt to estimate thepart played by the Sacred Dance among the peoplesof antiquity as well as among the uncultured races inmodern times; to account for its origin; to note theoccasions on which it was performed; and to indicatethe purposes of its performance.
The subject is more complicated than would appearat first sight; for while the fact of its universal prevalenceamong all races at one time or another of their culturaldevelopment shows how essential a rite it was, its originis obviously veiled in obscurity seeing that it developedin prehistoric times. So that in seeking to throw lighton the question of its origin one has to try to get at theback of the mind of the savage, and envisage thingsfrom his point of view; but that mind represents acomplex of such crass and illogical elements that onemay easily be led astray.
The purpose of the Sacred Dance, again, presents uswith another set of problems; for while in some casesthis is clear enough, in others there are alternativeswhich suggest themselves; and, further, it is probablethat a variety of motives not infrequently prompted itsperformance. To disentangle these is not always easy.
On the other hand, the interest of the subject fromthe human point of view is great; for, as an indispensablerite at all the crises of life, it was evidently a means ofemotional outlet. From the psychological standpoint,therefore, its prevalence is not without importance.Indeed, it will probably be thought that from the psychologicalside the subject is inadequately treated in thefollowi