In Homo Necans, a study of the history of sacrifice, and an attempt to explain the significance of ritualized collective bloodshed, he went far beyond the conventionally accepted limits of the ancient world, drew upon the evidence afforded by neolithic and palaeolithic cultures, and exploited to good effect some ideas suggested by observation of the behaviour of social mammals in general. Studien zu Pythagoras, Philolaos und Platon, he disentangled the mass of tradition which has accumulated around the name of Pythagoras, distinguishing between the dogmatic and aphoristic doctrines for which Pythagoras claimed supernatural authority and the mathematical and scientific investigations of the later Pythagoreans. In his first major work, Weisheit und Wissenschaft. Professor Burkert has demonstrated, in a series of books of enduring importance, his command of the relevant learning and techniques and also his originality and his readiness to pursue trains of thought suggested by other disciplines. It has long been recognised that investigation of Greek religion demands not only a mastery of all aspects of Classical studies, including literature, archaeology, art and philosophy, but also an understanding of anthropology and a sound acquaintance with the religions of Egypt and the Near East.
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