Cathedral of the Black Madonna: The Druids and the Mysteries of Chartres

by Jean Markale

Explores the connection between ancient druidic worship of a virgin at Chartres and the veneration of the Black Madonna - Examines the Virgin Mary's origins in the pagan worship of the Mother Goddess... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594770204
• ISBN13: 9781594770203
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Inner Traditions International
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Full of grace

The title of this work is a bit misleading. Rather than being about Chartres Cathedral itself, it focuses upon the development of the cult of the Virgin Mary, from the Roman and Celtic eras to early modern times. Author Markale has skilfully presented and examined the available historical evidence that pertains to the enigmatic Black Madonna statues and paintings that exist by the dozens throughout Europe, particularly in France. This is an engrossing and valuable study, but readers looking for specific information about the iconography contained within and without this most mystical of Christian cathedrals would do better to look elsewhere.

Fascinating Mystic Thoughts

Recommended if you are into Black Madonnas -- he goes beyond vague New Agey ramblings that attempt to connect Madonnas and various Pagan goddesses, and makes a connection between the Black Madonnas and Sun Goddesses which I thought was absolutely, well, brilliant.

Jean Markale is Brilliant

I love this man and wish more of his books were translated into English. His insight is phenonemal as well as his research. A must read 'before' your trip to Chartres. It arrived after I returned last year, but encouraged me to go again this year.

A stunning labyrinth of discovery

Jean Markale's books are an amazing journey of discovery through philosophy, gnosis, and the wonderful world of esoterica. He is a mystic and a scholar, he is a teacher and a guide. Markale will never force his conclusions upon you, rather he leads you to them and makes you think and feel for yourself. There is no dogma in his work, only wisdom. While he researches with the thorough tenacity of the most intrepid academic, he is never pendantic or stodgy in his conclusions. There are layers of fascinating historical information within, the kind of detail that isn't found in a library, but that comes from Markale's lifelong love of his French homeland and the folklore and cultures that he was raised in. This is wisdom firsthand. It is experiential and real. If you have an interest in ancient cultures, goddess worship, the sacred nature of the cathedrals and those who built them, and the path of Gnosis, there is much to love in this book. But don't expect a linear, typical journey. Markale is a genius, and he would never do anything that obvious. Read it, put it away and read it a few months later. You will see something within it that you did not see before.