i used this text as the major work cited for a research project in dance/performance art about the bull as a symbol of masculinity, strength, and ferocity. the author compares the bull across 10 cultures, spanning about 100,000 years of symbological evolution. the work begins with paleolithic man and goes forward towards modern spain. the 10 chapters are: paleolithic man, mesopotamia, egypt, india, the levant, crete, greece, rome, christian europe, and spain. the work is clear and logical, though the writing style is dated -- an updated edition might be an interesting project for someone. the focus is on the west, and more detail for eastern/african/american cultures would make it even better. still it is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in bulls, comparative religion and mythology, and/or anthropology. i highly recommend it as a resource for those interested in knowing about the source of the symbolism is ancient myths. you might also want to check out the equivalent texts for cats ("the cat in the mysteries of magic and religion" by w. oldfield howey) and snakes ("the encircled serpent" also by howey)