The Golden Bough

‘The Golden Bough’ is a book by James George Frazer, first published in 1890, with the unabridged third edition released between 1906 and 1915 in twelve volumes, presented here in its entirety. This landmark work in comparative mythology and anthropology explores the shared themes and rituals across ancient religions, folklore, and belief systems around the world. Frazer examines topics such as sacred kingship, fertility rites, magic, sacrifice, and mythological archetypes, tracing how primitive religious practices evolved into organized religion and modern cultural customs. Drawing from classical texts, ethnographic accounts, and global traditions, The Golden Bough offers an ambitious theory of a universal pattern underlying human belief. Though controversial and contested in later academic circles, the work had a profound influence on literature, psychology, and the arts—impacting figures such as T.S. Eliot, Sigmund Freud, and Joseph Campbell. This edition preserves Frazer’s full scope of research and offers readers a sweeping, imaginative, and meticulously detailed study of the spiritual foundations of human civilization.