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Margaret Alice Murray's acclaimed history of European witchcraft is
accompanied by descriptions of the rituals performed and
concoctions made by witches centuries ago. The author's burgeoning
knowledge is a service to the subject; what might otherwise be
overly dry or arcane is revealed in a manner both exciting and
thought-provoking. We are offered historical observations of the
witchcraft tradition, with the life and times of the women accused
of its practice examined in the context of the era. Readers will be
left in no doubt about the traditions, ceremonies and magical rites
practiced by witches. Although Murray was later found to be
overstating the influence and magnitude of the witchcraft tradition
- she considered it to be a popular successor to paganism - she
explains its origins, growth and persecution of witches with astute
narration. Murray posits that witches were thought to be worshiping
the devil; a grave crime in the fervently Christian Europe of yore.
Margaret Alice Murray (13 July 1863 - 13 November 1963) was a
prominent British Egyptologist and anthropologist. Primarily known
for her work in Egyptology, which was "the core of her academic
career," she is also known for her propagation of the Witch-cult
hypothesis, the theory that the witch trials in the Early Modern
period of Christianized Europe and North America were an attempt to
extinguish a surviving pre-Christian, pagan religion devoted to a
Horned God. Whilst this theory is today widely disputed and
discredited by historians like Norman Cohn, Keith Thomas and Ronald
Hutton, it has had a significant effect in the origins of Neopagan
religions, primarily Wicca, a faith she supported. Her work in
Egyptology took place largely alongside her mentor and friend, the
archaeologist Sir Flinders Petrie, whom she worked alongside at
University College London. One of the earliest women to "make a
serious impact upon the world of professional scholarship," she was
also an ardent feminist, being actively involved in the Suffragette
movement. From 1953 through to 1955, she was the president of the
Folklore Society, although since her death various members of the
society have attempted to disassociate the organization from her
and the Murrayite theory of the Witch-Cult.
A ground breaking work of Anthropology, Margaret Murray tackles the
taboo subject of Europe's Pagan roots. Contrary to popular history,
Murray contends that our European ancestors did not completely
convert to Christianity at an early date- rather, remnants of "The
Old Religion" lingered long into the 17th century. She backs up her
theories with competant, scholarly research into both archeological
and historical records. With the eye of a scientist and scholar,
Murray examines the truth behind the Witch Trials, the legend
ofRobin Hood, the deaths of Thomas Beckett and Joan of Arc, and the
real origins of the elusive Fairy Folk. This book is a truly
fascinating, and sometimes shocking, look at our European roots,
traced through the lineage of our Pagan roots.
Margaret Alice Murray's acclaimed history of European witchcraft is
accompanied by descriptions of the rituals performed and
concoctions made by witches centuries ago. The author's burgeoning
knowledge is a service to the subject; what might otherwise be
overly dry or arcane is revealed in a manner both exciting and
thought-provoking. We are offered historical observations of the
witchcraft tradition, with the life and times of the women accused
of its practice examined in the context of the era. Readers will be
left in no doubt about the traditions, ceremonies and magical rites
practiced by witches. Although Murray was later found to be
overstating the influence and magnitude of the witchcraft tradition
- she considered it to be a popular successor to paganism - she
explains its origins, growth and persecution of witches with astute
narration. Murray posits that witches were thought to be worshiping
the devil; a grave crime in the fervently Christian Europe of yore.
This Is A New Release Of The Original 1921 Edition.
This Is A New Release Of The Original 1921 Edition.
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