🌌 Mysticism −15%

Amulets and Magic Wallis Budge, E A

✍️ Wallis Budge, E A
Reader Score
4.5
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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Step into the fascinating world of E.A. Wallis Budge, where the profound history and universal presence of amulets and talismans are meticulously explored. This comprehensive volume delves into their pervasive role across diverse cultures, from ancient Egypt to Gnostic traditions, and their enduring use for protection, love, and spellcraft. Discover the significance of materials like gemstones, the influence of planetary alignments, mystical numbers, and the intricate symbolism embedded in these powerful artifacts, revealing humanity's age-old belief in the unseen forces that govern our lives.

🌌
Mysticism
🏛 Routledge 📅 2001 📖 586 pages 📔 Hardcover 📐 Hardcover ISBN: 9780710307132
Fun Fact
Budge's 'Amulets and Magic' is an indispensable resource for serious students of comparative religion and occult history. Its meticulous scholarship and broad scope are truly impressive, making it a definitive text on the subject. While it shines as an academic and historical survey, those seeking a practical guide to modern spellcraft might find it less direct. It firmly establishes itself as a foundational work, offering profound insight into the universal human quest for magical influence through symbolic objects, cementing Budge's legacy as a brilliant interpreter of ancient mystical traditions.

📝 Description: Amulets and Magic Wallis Budge, E A

First Published in 2001. Everywhere that excavations of ancient sites, temples and tombs have been carried out, the objects most frequently brought to light are amulets and talismans. The use of these objects is not confined to anyone place, people and period - they are universal, reflecting a belief in magic which is as old as humankind and continues today. Amulets and talismans have always been used for protection against enemies and the evil eye, to attract love and to cast spells of all kinds. This remarkable work - both scholarly and highly readable - contains the original texts with translations and descriptions of key Egyptian, Sumerian, Assyrian, Hebrew, Christian, Gnostic and Muslim amulets and magical devices and figures. Among the subjects dealt with are ring amulets; the protective and therapeutic qualities of gemstones; the importance of colour, shape and form in amulets; the Kabbalistic names and signs, stones of the planets and their influences, mystical numbers, lucky and unlucky days and contracts with the devil. This is a rich resource for all those interested in ancient wisdom and timeless practices.

💎 Expert review

💎
Esoterica Books editorial team
Occult literature desk
Wallis Budge provides a comprehensive survey of amulets and magic, detailing their pervasive role across cultures from ancient Egypt to Gnostic traditions. The text is rich with details on materials like gemstones and the influence of planetary alignments. However, it does NOT suit readers seeking practical spellcasting instructions or modern psychological interpretations; this is a historical catalog, not a grimoire. Academics and serious enthusiasts of esoteric history will appreciate its depth, while those looking for quick, actionable magical advice may find the scholarly tone dry. It remains a vital resource for understanding the symbolic logic of ancient protective arts.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers fascinated by the tangible intersection of spirituality and history will find immense value here. If you are drawn to the unseen forces that have governed human life for millennia, this book offers a meticulous exploration of amulets and talismans from ancient Egypt to Gnostic traditions. It appeals to those who seek to understand the universal language of protection, love, and spellcraft through material artifacts. By examining gemstones, planetary alignments, and mystical numbers, it reveals how humanity has long relied on these symbolic objects. This is essential for anyone wishing to unearth the ancient power that shaped our past, providing a deep, comprehensive look at the enduring significance of these powerful tools in our collective heritage.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —
⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5
★★★★
If you're captivated by ancient wisdom, comparative religion, or the enduring power of symbolic magic, this book is an essential addition to your library. It offers profound insights for anyone seeking to understand humanity's timeless engagement with the supernatural and the objects believed to…

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
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Esoterica Books editorial team

Wallis Budge provides a comprehensive survey of amulets and magic, detailing their pervasive role across cultures from ancient Egypt to Gnostic traditions. The text is rich with details on materials like gemstones and the influence of planetary alignments. However, it does NOT suit readers seeking practical spellcasting instructions or modern psychological interpretations; this is a historical catalog, not a grimoire. Academics and serious enthusiasts of esoteric history will appreciate its depth, while those looking for quick, actionable magical advice may find the scholarly tone dry. It remains a vital resource for understanding the symbolic logic of ancient protective arts.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While it offers extensive details on ancient forms and materials, this volume is primarily a scholarly exploration of their historical and cultural significance, rather than a practical 'how-to' manual for modern magical practice.
No, Budge's work is remarkably broad, drawing parallels and distinctions across numerous traditions including Egyptian, Sumerian, Hebrew, Christian, Gnostic, and Muslim magical practices, highlighting the universal nature of these beliefs.

📖 Who should read this

If you're captivated by ancient wisdom, comparative religion, or the enduring power of symbolic magic, this book is an essential addition to your library. It offers profound insights for anyone seeking to understand humanity's timeless engagement with the supernatural and the objects believed to bridge worlds.

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Universal Magical Beliefs

Budge masterfully illustrates how the human belief in magic and the efficacy of protective objects transcends geographical and temporal boundaries. Whether unearthed in ancient Sumerian cities or Christian catacombs, amulets consistently emerge as a fundamental expression of humanity's desire to influence fate and safeguard against the unknown, highlighting a shared mystical heritage.

Symbolism in Artifacts

The book meticulously unpacks the deep symbolic layers embedded within amulets and talismans. From the protective qualities attributed to specific gemstones and colors to the potent geometric forms and Kabbalistic names, Budge reveals how these objects were crafted as condensed cosmologies, designed to harness specific energies for warding off ill fortune or attracting desired outcomes.

Cross-Cultural Occultism

This work stands out for its comparative approach, showcasing the rich tapestry of magical practices across various ancient civilizations. Readers will journey through Egyptian, Assyrian, Hebrew, Gnostic, and Muslim traditions, observing both the unique expressions and the surprising commonalities in their use of magical devices, underscoring the interconnectedness of occult thought.

📜 Historical context

E.A. Wallis Budge, a towering figure in Egyptology, brought his unparalleled scholarly rigor to this examination of magical objects. Published at a time when Western esotericism was experiencing a revival, his work provides a foundational, comparative study that remains crucial for understanding the historical development of occult practices and the cultural anthropology of magical belief.

📚 Glossary

Amulet
Talisman
Evil Eye

📔 Questions to reflect on

  1. Reflect on a personal object you consider 'lucky' or protective. How does its significance to you parallel the ancient beliefs discussed by Budge?
  2. Considering the diverse cultures covered, what common threads or surprising differences do you observe in humanity's approach to creating and utilizing magical objects?
  3. How might the enduring belief in amulets and talismans speak to fundamental human needs for control, security, or connection to the sacred in an uncertain world?

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