Jacob and the Mandrakes

by J. G. Frazer

British Academy, London, 1917
Proceedings of the British Academy, Volume VIII

J. G. Frazer (Sir James George Frazer), a social anthropologist influential in the early stages of the modern studies of mythology and comparative religion, is most famous for his book The Golden Bough (1880). Jacob and the Mandrakes is a wide-ranging study of the mandrake legend over the last 2000 years in areas as diverse as Europe, the Middle East, and north Africa. Frazer discusses the origins of the legend, as well as the purported uses of this plant and the mythology that it has inspired.

The text of this paper was later included as chapter VII of Volume II of Frazer's Folk-lore in the Old Testament, published in 1919.

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The print edition of this text was published in London in 1917; the digital edition was created from the original in 2008 by David Badke. The original print edition by J. G. Frazer (1854-1941) is believed to be in the public domain. The digital edition is copyright 2008 by David Badke, but can be used for any non-commercial purpose without further permission. See the copyright notice in the digital edition for more information.

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