Summary

African sacred groves are often described as the remains of primeval forests, ethnographic curiosities, and cultural relics from a static pre-colonial past. Their continuing importance in African societies, however, shows that this 'relic theory' is inadequate for understanding current social and ecological dynamics. This interdisciplinary book, by an international group of scholars and conservation practitioners, provides a new understanding of these forests, examining their ecological characteristics and delineating how sacred groves relate to social dynamics and historical contexts. MICHAEL J. SHERIDAN is Associate Professor of Sociology & Anthropology at Middlebury College; CELIA NYAMWERU is Professor of Anthropology at St Lawrence University. North America: Ohio U Press; South Africa: Unisa Press (PB)