Light as Experience and Imagination from Paleolithic to Roman Times

David S. Herrstrom is an independent scholar who has taught and lectured at various universities and museums, including Queens College (City University of New York), Monmouth University, and Drew University, as well as the Woodmere Art Museum (Philadelphia).

• AcknowledgementsIntroduction1. Hunter Light of the Sky: The Paleolithic Era Cro-Magnon Ancestors, the Image-makersThe Shaman’s Transformation and the Light-BodyThe Shaman’s Art of Light – the Cave Paintings2. Planter Light of the Sun:TheNeolithic Era Shaman to Seer, Being Light to Seeing LightThe Brightness, the Rays, and Quartz LightTrapping the Rays – Newgrange and Stonehenge3. The Great Illuminator: The Egyptian Classical Age and the Amarna Period Lightland of the SunfolkStone-Light on the Plain, Shadow-Light in the Temple Naked-Light of the Natural WorldAkhenaten’s “Great Hymn to the Aten”Innocence Lost, Light and Darkness4. Scenes of Light & Shadow, the Luminaries: The Greek Classical Age Thales’ Light & Shadow Adventure Athenian Light: Homer’s Radiance and the Potters’ Light-Shadow Contraries Parmenides’ Refusal to Name Light and NightAeschylus’ Actor Light and The Law of Light and ShadowPlato’s Light-Show The Bones of Light – Euclid 5. Acts of Light, the Refractors: The Roman Classical Age Brilliant Mosaic SkinThe Light of the Walls Lucretius’ Swerves of LightSystems of Light – John’s Gospel and Hadrian’s PantheonPoimandres Says, “Think About the Light and Understand It” Biographies of Light – Plotinus’ Flash and Augustine’s SeducerConclusionBibliographiesIndex

A lyrical journey on a sunbeam, David S. Herrstrom’s volume is short but ambitious. . . . Herrstrom’s small poetic book is really something of a delight to read. It is in his Introduction that he is at his best, this is where his warm enthusiasm for the topic shines forth, nearly in John’s rhetoric of light.