Blurb:

This fascinating account takes the evolution of belly dance as a representation of the rites of passage from Ancient Egypt to modern times, focusing on different forms of belly dancing and its place at the core of fertility rites in Middle Eastern societies. Myths, including those of Isis and Osiris, and the role of the Shaman or Witch Doctor in African tribes, are explained. This is the first complete history of the ancient and mystical dance from an acknowledged expert on the subject, exploring how the music and motion of the belly dance featured in the rise and fall of entire empires.