Abjuration, form of, imposed on Jewish converts, ix. 393
Abnormal mental states accounted inspiration, iii. 248
Abolition of the kingship at Rome, ii. 289 _sqq._
Abomey, the old capital of Dahomey, iv. 40
Abonsam, an evil spirit on the Gold Coast, ix. 132
Aborigines retained as priests of the local gods by conquering races, ii. 288; of Victoria, their custom as to emu fat, x. 13
Abortion, superstition as to woman who has procured, iii. 153
Abougit, Father X., S.J., on the ceremony of the new fire at Jerusalem, x. 130
Abraham, his attempted sacrifice of Isaac, iv. 177, vi. 219 _n._ 1
Abrahams, Israel, on the Purim bonfires, ix. 393 _n._ 2
Abruzzi, barren fruit-trees threatened in the, ii. 22; belief as to falling stars in the, iv. 66, 67; burning an effigy of the Carnival in the, iv. 224; seven-legged effigy of Lent in the, iv. 244 _sq._; gossips of St. John in the, v. 245 _n._ 2; marvellous properties attributed to water on St. John’s Night in the, v. 246; Easter ceremonies in the, v. 256; the feast of All Souls in the, vi. 77 _sq._; rules as to sowing seed and cutting timber in the, vi. 133 _n._ 3; Epiphany in the, ix. 167 _n._ 2; new Easter fire in the, x. 122; water consecrated at Easter in the, x. 122 _sqq._; Midsummer rites of fire and water in the, x. 209 _sq._
Absalom, his intercourse with his father’s concubines, ix. 368
Absence and recall of the soul, iii. 30 _sqq._
Absrot, village of Bohemia, precaution against witches on Walpurgis Night at, ix. 161
Abstinence, periods of, observed before sowing, ii. 98, 105; as a charm to promote the growth of the seed, ix. 347 _sqq._
Abstract notions, the personification of, not primitive, iv. 253
Abu Rabah, resort of childless wives in Palestine, v. 78, 79
Abuse (vituperation), beneficial virtue ascribed to, i. 279 _sq._
Abydos, head of Osiris at, vi. 11; the favourite burial-place of the Egyptians, vi. 18 _sq._; specially associated with Osiris, vi. 18, 197; tombs of the ancient Egyptian kings at, vi. 19; the ritual of, vi. 86; hall of the Osirian mysteries at, vi. 108; representations of the Sed festival at, vi. 151; inscriptions at, vi. 153; temple of Osiris at, vi. 198; ancient shrine of Osiris at, vii. 260 _n._ 2
Abyssinia, rain-making in, i. 258; rain-making priests among tribes on the borders of, ii. 2 _sq._; Tigre-speaking tribes to the north of, ii. 19; fear of the evil eye in, iii. 116; severed hands and feet preserved against the resurrection in, iii. 281; personal names concealed in, iii. 322; the Kamants of, iv. 12; sacrifice of first-born children among tribes on the borders of, iv. 181 _sq._; the Faleshas of, viii. 266 _n._ 1