The A to Z of Witchcraft | Free Book

The A to Z of Witchcraft | Free Book

Steven Lv12
Michael D. Bailey
Publisher:Scarecrow Press
Published:September 2009
ISBN:9780810870277
Title:The A to Z of Witchcraft
Author:Michael D. Bailey
Imprint:Scarecrow Press
Language:English
Number of Pages:
A great deal has been written about the history of witchcraft, but much of what has been written is unreliable, exaggerated, or inaccurate. This problem is especially acute in regard to modern witchcraft, or Wicca, and its supposed connections to historical witchcraft in medieval and early modern Europe. The A to Z of Witchcraft provides a reliable reference source for both academics and general readers interested in the actual historical development of witchcraft in the western world. The focus of the dictionary is on Western Europe during the late-medieval and early modern periods, when the specific idea of diabolical witchcraft developed and when the so-called 'great witch-hunts' occurred. Entries are also provided that deal with magic and witchcraft in the earlier Christian period and classical antiquity, as well as with the lingering belief in witchcraft in the modern world, and with the development of the modern, neo-pagan religion of witchcraft, also known as Wicca. For comparative purposes, some entries have been provided that deal with aspects and systems of magic found in other parts of the world that seem to bear some relation to the idea of witchcraft as it developed in Christian Europe. The regions dealt with are mainly Africa, along with such New-World practices as Voodoo and Santeria. Entries in the dictionary cover important people in the history of witchcraft, from the medieval inquisitors and early modern magistrates who developed the stereotype of the historical witch to the modern individuals who have developed the religion of Wicca. Also included are legal terms and concepts important to the prosecution of the supposed crime of witchcraft, and religious and theological concepts pertaining to the demonic elements that came to be associated with witchcraft, as well as more popular beliefs and aspects of common folklore and mythology that became attached to the developing idea of witchcraft. Geographic entries are also included, discussing the scope of witch-hunting in various regions of Europe and the world, and describing specific examples of major witch-hunts such as those that occurred in Salem, Massachusetts.

About the Author

Michael D. Bailey is visiting assistant professor in the department of history at Iowa State University. He is the author of Battling Demons: Witchcraft, Heresy, and Reform in the Late Middle Ages. He has held academic positions at Bethany College, Kansas, at the University of Cincinnati, at the Medieval Institute of the University of Notre Dame, and at Saint Louis University. His principal research interests focus on the history of magic, witchcraft, and superstition in Europe.

  • Title: The A to Z of Witchcraft | Free Book
  • Author: Steven
  • Created at : 2024-10-25 04:31:03
  • Updated at : 2024-10-26 21:15:30
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  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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The A to Z of Witchcraft | Free Book