by David Pickering (Author)
CASSELL'S DICTIONARY OF WITCHCRAFT forms an invaluable guide to a subject that has exerted a powerful influence on the popular imagination for centuries. It looks at the history of witchcraft, traces its development in countries such as Britain, Germany and the US, and explains the rituals and objects associated with it, from black sabbaths to covens, and from hands of glory to pentagrams. In addition, it provides biographies of key figures, such as the seventeenth-century 'Witch-Finder General' Matthew Hopkins, and the 'Great Beast' Aleister Crowley, and gives detailed accounts of notorious witch trials, drawing on contemporary documents and eye-witness views. The result is a fascinating blend of narrative and analysis that will be of interest to anyone intrigued by the occult and its history.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 528
Edition: Reprint
Publisher: Orion
Published: 26 Sep 2002
ISBN 10: 0304365629
ISBN 13: 9780304365623
Book Overview: Hundreds of carefully researched articles on all aspects of witchcraft Provides explanations of key terms and concepts Detailed biographies of key figures, and accounts of witch trials Introductory essay outlines the history of witchcraft