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Witchcraft and Black Magic — Witchcraft Wicca

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Witchcraft and Black Magic

Name: Witchcraft and Black Magic
Price: 11.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780486411255

✍️ Summers, Montague

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

This volume delivers an academic breakdown of historical black arts, ranging from ceremonial spellcasting and wax figures to the Sabbat, incubi, succubi, and the evil eye. Summers examines how individuals entered into demonic compacts, the nature of familiars, and political sorcery throughout British and European history. It is suited for serious students, historians, and occult researchers seeking vintage mid-century scholarship. Readers looking for modern Wiccan spellbooks or contemporary devotional guides will find it less useful, as the work operates strictly as a classical historical and theological analysis.

Summers, Montague

📚 all books by this author (19) →

🌙

Witchcraft & Wicca

🏛 Dover Publications 📅 2012 📖 256 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780486411255

Fun Fact

Montague Summers’ "Witchcraft and Black Magic" remains a foundational, albeit controversial, text in occult studies. Its strength lies in Summers' unparalleled historical detail and his unique, believing perspective, offering an immersive dive into the subject. While it excels at cataloging practices and beliefs from an internal viewpoint, those seeking a purely anthropological or skeptical analysis might find its conviction challenging. It stands as a vital record of how witchcraft was perceived and documented by a scholar who genuinely believed in its power.

📝 Description: Witchcraft and Black Magic

Originally published in 1946 by noted English historian and biographer Montague Summers, this historical overview detailedly examines the origins, mechanics, and history of sorcery. Summers, a leading authority on demonology who maintained a genuine personal belief in supernatural phenomena, grounds his research in court records, personal memoirs, correspondence, the Bible, and literary classics. The text proceeds through five chapters, beginning with definitions of the craft, how one becomes a practitioner, and the essential pact. From there, it moves into discussions regarding human and animal familiars, sacrileges, rewards of blood, and historic sorcery across Oxford, Cambridge, the Templars, and political arenas. Later chapters trace ancient origins, referencing Assyrian and Egyptian practices, mummies, the Dianic Cult, and the legendary Library of the Witches.

📑 What's inside

CHAPTER I
What is Witchcraft?
How does One become a Witch?
The Essential Pact
CHAPTER II
"The Familiar, in Human Shape and Animal "
How Acquired
The Sacrileges of Witches
The Reward of Blood
CHAPTER III
Witchcraft at Cambridge and Oxford
The Manichee Sorcerers
Revolutionary Witchcraft
The Witchcraft of the Templars
Witchcraft and Politics
CHAPTER IV
The Origins of Witchcraft
The Sons of God and the Daughters of Men
Who was the First Witch?
Assyrian and Egyptian Witchcraft
The Mummies
"The "Dianic Cult" "
CHAPTER V
The Library of the Witches
The Sibylline Books
The Grimoires
Ie Grand Albert
The Witches' Bible
Zekerboni
Printed and Manuscript Books of Spells
The Scene of Conjuration described by Restif de la Bretonne
CHAPTER VI
The Magus of Francis Barrett Today
Ceremonial Magic
The Evil Eye
Ranks of Demons
Necromancy
Evocations
Ebenezer Sibly
Satanism Today
Obeah
Witchcraft in Mauritius
CHAPTER VII
Sympathetic Magic
Wax Images
Figurines
The Covens
The Grand Master
Levitation
The Sabbat
Incubi and Succubae
The Black Mass

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Summers’ text is a formidable contribution to occult historiography, offering a rigorous analysis of black magic grounded in extensive historical documentation. However, this volume is not suited for casual readers or those seeking light entertainment; it demands patience and an interest in dense, scholarly exposition. Skeptics who dismiss the supernatural entirely may find Summers’ believing perspective overly credulous or unsettling. Additionally, modern readers expecting contemporary psychological interpretations of witchcraft will be disappointed by the literal theological framework presented here. It is best reserved for dedicated students of esoteric history who appreciate unapologetic advocacy for the reality of the occult forces described within its pages.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers with a deep fascination for the historical and theological underpinnings of Western esotericism will find this volume indispensable. Montague Summers provides a unique, believing perspective that transforms dry historical documents into vivid accounts of spiritual warfare. Those interested in the ceremonial intricacies of black magic, the Black Mass, and demonic encounters will appreciate the meticulous dissection of these dark practices. This book serves as a comprehensive resource for scholars and serious enthusiasts who seek to understand the shadow history of witchcraft through the eyes of a scholar who genuinely believed in its power. It offers an unsettling yet rigorous overview that bridges the gap between academic study and occult practice, making it essential for anyone exploring the darker corners of esoteric literature.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you seek a thorough, historically grounded examination of witchcraft and its darker manifestations, this book is for you. Readers interested in the nuanced evolution of esoteric practices, viewed through the lens of a genuinely believing scholar, will find it indispensable for their studies.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Summers’ text is a formidable contribution to occult historiography, offering a rigorous analysis of black magic grounded in extensive historical documentation. However, this volume is not suited for casual readers or those seeking light entertainment; it demands patience and an interest in dense, scholarly exposition. Skeptics who dismiss the supernatural entirely may find Summers’ believing perspective overly credulous or unsettling. Additionally, modern readers expecting contemporary psychological interpretations of witchcraft will be disappointed by the literal theological framework presented here. It is best reserved for dedicated students of esoteric history who appreciate unapologetic advocacy for the reality of the occult forces described within its pages.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Summers demonstrates encyclopedic research, synthesizing information from diverse origins, including biblical texts, classical literature, personal correspondence, and official court records, to build his comprehensive historical narrative.

Uniquely among scholars of his time, Summers held a profound and genuine belief in the reality of the supernatural phenomena he meticulously documented, influencing his diligent and detailed scholarship and lending a distinct authority.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Defining Witchcraft's Essence

Summers establishes a comprehensive definition of witchcraft, differentiating its various forms and historical interpretations. He probes its origins, exploring how societal perceptions and spiritual beliefs converged to shape the concept of the witch and the "black arts" through the ages, providing a foundational understanding.

Rituals of Dark Arts

The book meticulously details the practical elements of black magic, from the casting of intricate spells to conjuring practices. It examines ceremonial acts like the Black Mass, the symbolic use of wax figures, and the invocation of entities such as incubi and succubi, offering a glimpse into forbidden rites.

Demonic & Supernatural Forces

Summers deeply investigates the pervasive belief in demonic influence and supernatural phenomena. He covers concepts like the "evil eye" and necromancy, alongside the infamous Sabbat, illustrating how these beliefs intertwined with historical accounts of sorcery and demonology across different cultures and eras.

📜 Historical context

Published during an era fascinated by the occult, Summers’ work stands as a unique, scholarly exploration from a deeply personal, believing standpoint. Unlike later academic texts that might approach these subjects with detached skepticism, Summers writes from a position of sincere conviction in the supernatural phenomena he describes, grounding his detailed research in a traditional, albeit controversial, perspective.

📚 Glossary

Incubus/Succubus
Necromancy
Sabbat

📔 Questions to reflect on

How does understanding historical definitions of witchcraft alter your perception of contemporary magical practices?
Consider the role of belief, both personal and societal, in shaping the historical narratives of the occult and its practitioners.
In what ways might a scholar's personal convictions influence the interpretation and presentation of historical 'facts' regarding the supernatural?