This book is a welcome addition to the scant literature concerning holy wells, springs, and rivers around the world. One of a few serious works outside of regional studies which discusses, in depth, the folklore, mythology, and archaeology of holy wells and springs, as well as rituals that still exist today at many of the sacred water sites around the world.

Recent decades have witnessed the fragmentation of Reformation studies, with high-level research confined within specific geographical, confessional or chronological boundaries. By bringing together scholars working on a wide variety of topics, this volume counteracts this centrifugal trend and provides a broad perspective on the impact of the European reformation. The essays present new research from historians of politics, of the church and of belief. Their geographical scope ranges from Scotland and England via France and Germany to Transylvania and their chronological span from the 1520s to the 1690s Considering the impact of the Reformation on political culture and examining the relationship between rulers and ruled; the book also examines the church and its personnel, another sphere of life that was entirely transformed by the Reformation. Important aspects of knowledge and belief are discussed in terms of scientific knowledge and technological progress, juxtaposed with analyses of elite and popular belief, which demonstrates the limitations of Weber's notion of the disenchantment of the world. Together they indicate the diverse directions in which Reformation scholarship is now moving, while reminding us of the need to understand particular developments within a broader European context; demonstrating that movements for religious reform left no sphere of European life untouched.

Rivers and their sources have captured the human imagination for centuries. Their special potential for both mystery and commerce has inspired writers, artists, scientists, and politicians throughout history. In both literature and art, riverscapes have traditionally been seen as more than simply geographic: their psychological and metaphysical aspects have often provided a source of myth.

Folklore, People and Place is a contribution towards better understanding the complex interconnectivity of folklore, people and place, across a range of different cultural and geographical contexts. The book showcases a range of international case studies from different cultural and ecological contexts showing how folklore can and does mediate human relationships with people and place. Folklore has traditionally been connected to place, telling tales of the land and the real and imaginary beings that inhabit storied places. These storytelling traditions and practices have endured in a contemporary world, yet the role and value of folklore to people and places has changed. The book explores a broad range of international perspectives and considers how the relationship between folklore, people, and place has evolved for tourists and indigenous communities. It will showcase a range of international case studies from different cultural and ecological contexts showing how folklore can and does mediate human relationships with people and place. By exploring folklore in the context of tourism, this book engages in a critical discussion of the opportunities and challenges of using storied places in destination development. The case studies in the book provide an international perspective on the contemporary value of folklore to people and places engendering reflection on the role of folklore in sustainable tourism strategies. This book will be of interest to students, academics, researchers in fields such as anthropology, folklore, tourism, religious studies, human geography and related disciplines. It will also be of interest to scholars and practitioners of traditional ecological knowledge.