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.

Margaret Murray was an anthropologist who upset the comfortable consensus of her day with the idea that Western Europe did not convert 'en masse' to Christianity. Using contemporary accounts she was able to show that, while European rulers and nobles were successfully targeted by Christian missionaries, the majority of the population held tenaciously to the Old Religion. These far older beliefs centred upon the worship of Cernunnos, the figure of a male, horned god. The result was centuries of conflict between Christianity and 'Paganism' in which the adherents of the Cross gradually gained the ascendant. And following the general principle that 'the God of the old religion becomes the Devil of the new', the Christian 'Evil One' was given the characteristics of the pagan deity - horns and all. Those who stubbornly held to the Old Ways were seen as devil-worshippers, witches, followers of the left-hand path who fully deserved the stake and death by purging fire. Margaret Murray gives a convincing account of this God of the witches, and shows how many famous characters in European history - among them William Rufus, Joan of Arc and Thomas a Beckett - must be counted as members of The Old Religion. A book for all those interested in the roots of Wicca and neo-paganism.