Sacred Groves and Conservation: The Comparative History of Traditional Reserves in the Mediterranean Area and in South India

Abstract

Sacred groves in the ancient Mediterranean are compared with surviving groves of South India, particularly Uttara Kannada, to evaluate the roles of these refugia in maintaining balance between human groups and the ecosystems of which they are part. In the Mediterranean written records survive, and archaeological investigation provides some information. In South India, the authors observed a living if declining tradition which has persisted for millennia among village people. There data come from field surveys, folk traditions, historical documents and literature.