Touch and the Ancient Senses (The Senses in Antiquity)

Book Details

• Author: Alex Purves

• Binding: Paperback

• ISBN: 9781844658725

• Release Date: 20-11-2017

• Package Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches

• Languages: English

About the Book

Unlike the other senses, touch extends beyond a single organ, encompassing not only the skin but also the interior of the body. As one of the most fundamental and intimate senses, touch influences nearly every aspect of human interaction, from the everyday to the erotic, and provides a primary point of connection between the individual and the world around them.

In this groundbreaking volume, Alex Purves explores the ways in which touch has shaped and defined human understanding in science, art, philosophy, and medicine. The essays in this collection delve into a broad range of topics, from aesthetics and poetics to religious rituals and practices, emphasizing the sensory and phenomenological impact of touch. This book challenges the traditional view of touch as a simple or base sense, elevating it as a complex and significant influence on human perception and experience.

What sets this volume apart is its exploration of touch in antiquity, bringing diverse disciplinary perspectives to bear on the subject. By examining touch through multiple lenses—physical, emotional, and intellectual—the book reveals it as a crucial indicator of the body’s relationship with both itself and the surrounding environment. This is the first collection of its kind to investigate touch's profound role in shaping the human experience, making it an essential read for those interested in sensory perception, history, and the humanities.