Forged in Ancient Fires: Myth and Meaning in Western Lore

Myth, language, hidden writings, and political intrigue converge to paint a startling picture of how Western religion was forged in the ancient Near East and beyond. The lives of the pharaohs, Mesopotamian gods, Celtic traditions, and apocryphal biblical texts are just some of the puzzle pieces that come together to create a new and cohesive picture of where and how our sacred traditions arose.

Forged in Ancient Fires and its companion work Messiah in the Making form make up The Phoenix Principle, each examining in turn the Old and New Testament time periods through the expanded lens of mythic archetype and history.

Readers of Graham Hancock will find new fascination in these works, which survey figures ranging from Moses and Jesus to King Arthur, from Robin Hood to the Queen of Sheba. Here you will find a comprehensive look at a ritual tradition that spanned oceans and continents, centuries and millennia. Classical myths, historical accounts and faerie tales are mined to reveal the universal theme behind them: the principle of regeneration and resurrection.

The Phoenix Principle was nothing less than the tradition that supported ancient kings in their kingdoms, preserved bloodlines through the ages and gave birth to modern Western religion. It linked monarchs to their land and guided the epic struggle between the king and his chosen successor - between wizard and knight, between sun and shadow.

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