PRESS RELEASE

New Title Investigates the Influence Fungi had on Ancient Civilizations

St. Paul, Minn. (January 28, 2008) - Fungi in the Ancient World is a comprehensive review on the impact of fungi in helping to shape ancient civilizations. Mushrooms, mildews, molds, and yeast had an effect on: diet, customs, politics, religion; human, animal, plant health; art, folklore, and the beginnings of science. This book discusses the current methodologies for investigation of the co-evolution of plants, fungi, and humans from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages.

This book presents reproductions and descriptions of fungal motifs in ancient art, myth, and folklore that enable direct examination of evidence by any reader, professional or lay. Interdisciplinary in scope, this detailed and illustrated book includes a historical perspective on co-evolution of fungi with early agriculture that provides documented summaries of contemporary research in this area, from archaeology to molecular-genetics.

Peer reviewed for accuracy and balance, the book provides multiple perspectives from professionals in mycology, plant pathology, ancient history, and folklore. It summarizes a wide range of highly controversial published views on the impact of fungi on customs, folklore, and religion. In doing this, the title presents perspectives on what is probable, plausible, or improbable in this highly debated area that helped form western civilization.

This new title will be of interest to mycologists, plant pathologists, historians, folklorists, plant breeders, anthropologists, ethnobotanists, ethnomycolgists, and others interested in fungi’s impact to ancient history.

This book may be purchased for $69 (USD) from The American Phytopathological Society. To order this book go to the APS PRESS online store at www.shopapspress.org or call toll-free 1.800.328.7560 USA/Canada or +1.651.454.7250 elsewhere.

Fungi in the Ancient World: How Mushrooms, Mildews, Molds, and Yeast Shaped the Early Civilizations of Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Near East includes the following chapters: Introduction; Fungi in Baking and Brewing; Edible Fungi; Fungi as “Entheogens”; Fungi Used for Medicinal Purposes and Other Technologies; Plant-Pathogenic Fungi; Fungi as Agents of Rot on Wood and Fabric; Human and Animal Pathogens; Environmental and Ecological Roles of Fungi; Ancient Fungi Preserved in Glacial Ice or Permafrost; Ancient Images of Fungi; Fungi in Ancient European Folklore; Ideas of the Ancients on Fungal Biology; Some Additional Hypotheses Regarding the Impact of Fungi in Ancient Times; Conclusions; Literature Cited; and Index.

© 2008; 6" x 9" softcover; 152 pages; 13 black and white figures; ISBN 978-0-89054-361-0; (2 pounds); Item No. 43610; $69 (USD)

NOTE: Digital artwork of the book’s cover is available by contacting Ashley Armstrong aarmstrong@sciosoc.org. Please specify if the artwork will be used for print or electronic media.