The Witch-Cult in Western Europe: A Study in Anthropology
by Margaret Alice Murray
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Description
The mass of existing material on this subject is so great that the author has not attempted to make a survey of the whole of European 'Witchcraft', but has confined herself to an intensive study of the cult in Great Britain. In order, however, to obtain a clearer understanding of the ritual and beliefs she had recourse to French and Flemish sources, as the cult appears to have been the same throughout Western Europe. The sources from which the information is taken are the judicial records show more and contemporary chroniclers. In the case of the chroniclers, the author has studied their facts and not their opinions. This is an excellent book for those interested in learning the history of Witch-Craft in Western Europe. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
While Margaret Murray's book is classic research into the witch trials of the middle ages and their connection to pre-Christian pagan religion is historically important as a Wiccan/Neopagan foundation document, the books research and theory is somewhat flimsy in the light of hard historical fact. In the book, it states that many of those killed during the witch trails were actually part of various witch-cults. This conclusion has been refuted by other scalars and researchers time and time again.
Even though it's been debunked by modern scholars, this is valuable for the insight into where Gardner got his original historical influences.
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Author Information
26+ Works 1,044 Members
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Witch-Cult in Western Europe: A Study in Anthropology
- Original title
- The Witch-Cult in Western Europe
- Original publication date
- 1921
- Important places
- Western Europe; Europe
- Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genres
- Anthropology, Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, History, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 133.40942 — Philosophy & psychology Parapsychology & occultism Specific topics in parapsychology and occultism Demonology and witchcraft Standard subdivisions History, geographic treatment, biography Europe
- LCC
- BF1581 .M8 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Psychology Occult sciences Witchcraft
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 336
- Popularity
- 94,951
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (2.61)
- Languages
- English, Italian, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 31
- ASINs
- 16
