The Wondrous Mushroom: Mycolatry in Mesoamerica.

WASSON, Robert Gordon.

Item Number: 88064

New York: Mc Graw-Hill, 1980.

Signed limited first edition of Robert Gordon Wasson’s important contribution to the field of ethnomycology. Quarto, original half morocco over illustrated cloth, gilt titles to the spine, illustrated throughout with full color photographs. One of only 501 copies signed by Robert Gordon Wasson, this is number 232. In fine condition in the original slipcase.

American author, ethnomycologist, and Vice President of Public Relations at J.P. Morgan and Co., Robert Gordon Wasson made great contributions to the fields of anthropology and ethnobotany through his studies in the historical uses of entheogens for spiritual and religious purposes. Working closely with botanist Roger Heim, Wasson collected and identified the chemical structure of various species of fungi containing psilocybin and psilocin. Wasson's last completed work, The Wondrous Mushroom explored the ancient Vedic intoxicant soma, which he hypothesized to be based on the psychoactive mushroom fly agaric, as opposed to alcohol which was the commonly held interpretation.