Siberian Shamanism and the Western Imagination

Information on Siberian shamanism is sparse and often filled with cultural biases. In Shamans: Siberian Spirituality and the Western Imagination, historian Ronald Hutton sifts through first-hand accounts and scholarly studies in order to present the reader with a comprehensive work representing the entire body of research on Siberian shamanism. From what he's able to derive from various sources is that traditional shamanic practices can be reduced to three essentials: there must be identifying ritual dress, such as a robe or animal skin; the shaman must use a supportive musical instrument, usually a drum or rattle; and the shamanic performance must be public. Shamans is a prized work for scholars in Siberian shamanism, folklore, and cultural studies.