Underground Mythology
Edited by Sylvia P. Beamon, MA
The editor of this captivating book, Sylvia P Beamon is
perhaps best know for her extensive research on Royston Cave in Hertfordshire.
Sadly ‘Underground Mythology’ is not as voluminous as her ‘Royston Cave – used by Saints and Sinners?’. However, it is a
very well researched compilation of the origins of underworld mythology and its
inhabitants.
‘Underground
Mythology’ comprises thesis by six authors. The first author to start us
off is Ruby M Haslam with her article titled ‘The Shell Grotto at Margate’. This cave is the most intricately
decorated in the United Kingdom. With over 4.6 million shells creating a myriad
of arcane symbols in various chambers, a visit to this grotto is a must and
Haslam’s article is an excellent introduction to it.
Secondly, Dr Bruce E. Osborne’s, paper ‘Water in Underground Mythology’ discusses the scientific and
spiritual aspects of hydrous properties in underground streams and wells
throughout various cultures.
Next we have two authors from the Czech region. Vaclav
Matousek’s dissertation for Charles V University in Prague contemplates the
archaeological findings in underground chambers and comparing the symbolic
meaning of them in various fairytales worldwide. Vaclac Cilek, author of several
papers and books, gives the reader a captivating discourse of the archetypical
beliefs attributed to grottos from the Neolithic period to the present day.
Sylivia P Beamon paper is on superstition in mining
communities She discusses who were the ‘Knockers and Knackers’a and
searching for their origin. (Beamon has also written the introduction and
conclusion for this book.)
MC Black concludes this series of papers. Many people think
of Mithraism as only a Roman ‘cult’, or draw the similarities with Mithra
and the Jesus ‘cult’. Black shows the origin of Mithraism and its
infrastructure, and also claiming that many of their temples were situated
partly or completely underground.
Reviewed by Oddvar Olsen, May 2007
Published by Able Publishing, 2002
Paperback A4, 128 pages
ISBN 1-903607-20-5