Sacred and Mythical Mountains

“The mountain has a dark, negative, and frightening aspect. Its manifestations can at times fill us with terror... The mountain is stability, strength, and power... It is the living manifestation of the ideal of verticality... The most important lesson the mountain teaches is that death is a beginning.”

Throughout human history, mountains have stood in relation to the heavens and the metaphysical world, sometimes as intermediaries and sometimes as embodiments of that very connection: Olympus, the dwelling place of the gods; Mount Kailash, where Shiva sits in meditation; Kunlun, the legendary mountain of China where the Celestial Emperor resides; Ötüken, the sacred homeland of the Turks; and the mountains of the Abrahamic religions. In both East and West, people populated mountains with gods and demons. Since the dawn of time, mountains have been revered, regarded as sacred, and seen as standing on the threshold of the divine. Some peoples viewed them as the center of the world, while others considered them points of communication between Heaven and Earth. Some found paradise there; others imagined them as supernatural realms inhabited by monsters and magnificent creatures.

Mountains occupy a central place in the great monotheistic religions: God gave Moses the Tablets of the Law on Mount Sinai; Jesus died and was resurrected at Golgotha; and the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad on Jabal al-Nur, commanding him to spread the divine message.

Mountains have always fascinated humanity, yet they have also inspired fear. This ambiguity, inherent in all things sacred, has nourished countless mythologies in which we discover remarkable archetypes. This book invites readers to explore centuries-old beliefs, myths, folk traditions, and superstitions associated with mountains.

Series: History

Dimensions: 13.5 × 21 cm

Page Count: 384

ISBN: 978-625-8437-55-3

Publication Year: October 2024

2nd Edition: August 2025

Translator: Lale Özcan