Book Reviews Perceptions Magazine, August 2014
by: Brent Raynes
Path of Souls,
The Native American Death Journey:
Cygnus, Orion, the Milky Way, Giant Skeletons in Mounds, & the Smithsonian
By Gregory Little
Foreword & afterword by Andrew Collins
ATA Archetype Books
PO Box 9025
Memphis, TN 38190
2014, 254 pages, US $19.95
ISBN: 978-0-9655392-5-8
Reviewed by Brent Raynes
Hot off the proverbial press, the Path of Souls tackles fascinating subjects like complex and recently disclosed ancient Native American beliefs in an afterlife and the hot and controversial reported presence of giant human remains found in Indian Mounds.
Greg Little, the author of AP’s monthly ArcheoTrek feature, and the author of such memorable books as People of the Web, Grand Illusions, and The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Native American Mounds & Earthworks takes us on a remarkable and unique journey through Native American history, mythology and spirituality. Beginning with an unexpected series of vivid and strange “Indian” mound dreams back in 1983, that launched Greg into a deep and comprehensive exploration of Native American earthworks and belief systems, Greg has been led recently to major new breakthroughs and discoveries in deciphering the true meanings of the complex and enigmatic symbols and earthworks left behind by these mysterious ancient ones. The reader will journey along with Greg as he lifts the amnesiac veil of history and describes startling ancient beliefs, detailing a soul’s alleged afterlife trek to what they perceived as the soul’s final destination along the Milky Way’s “path of souls.”
Sifting through the evidence of unusually large human skeletal remains uncovered in Indian Mounds, Greg found the largest concentration to have been retrieved from ancient burials in West Virginia, with the greatest number of them in the mound filled Kanawha Valley near Charleston. Who were these ancient people? Did they play a role in the spread of these complex and unusual spiritual afterlife beliefs?
This book is lavishly and wonderfully illustrated, containing over 150 maps, photos and drawings. It is a must read!
