Amulets and Magic Wallis Budge, E A

Name: Amulets and Magic Wallis Budge, E A
Price: 505.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Wallis Budge, E A
ISBN: 9780710307132

✍️ Wallis Budge, E A

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📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Unearth the ancient power of symbolic objects that shaped human destiny for millennia.

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.

Key themes

{'title': 'Universal Magical Beliefs', 'body': "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."} {'title': 'Symbolism in Artifacts', 'body': '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.'} {'title': 'Cross-Cultural Occultism', 'body': '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.'}

🏛 Routledge 📅 2001 📖 586 pages 📔 Hardcover 📐 Hardcover ISBN: 9780710307132

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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.

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⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

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…

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❓ 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

🎯 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.

💬 Quotes from the book

«Across millennia and continents, the human impulse to imbue objects with protective or potent properties remains a constant, a testament to universal magical thinking.»

«The intricate designs found upon these ancient artifacts are not merely decorative; they are condensed cosmologies, embodying specific intentions against malign influences or for auspicious outcomes.»

📜 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

{'question': "Reflect on a personal object you consider 'lucky' or protective. How does its significance to you parallel the ancient beliefs discussed by Budge?"}
{'question': "Considering the diverse cultures covered, what common threads or surprising differences do you observe in humanity's approach to creating and utilizing magical objects?"}
{'question': '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?'}