Witchcraft and the Black Art - A Book Dealing with the Psychology and Folklore of the Witches — Witchcraft Wicca

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🌙 Witchcraft & Wicca

Witchcraft and the Black Art - A Book Dealing with the Psychology and Folklore of the Witches

Name: Witchcraft and the Black Art - A Book Dealing with the Psychology and Folklore of the Witches
Price: 30.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781846641046

✍️ Wickwar, J W

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$30.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

J.W. Wickwar resurrects the secretive lineage of the witches, moving beyond mere myth to explore the psychological underpinnings of the craft. Through fourteen comprehensive chapters, he traces the evolution of witchcraft from primitive cults to medieval trials, examining initiation rites, spells, and the pervasive fear of the evil eye. The text bridges folklore and history, analyzing how these beliefs manifested in England, Europe, and America. It is a meticulous reconstruction of a lost world, offering readers a rare glimpse into the rituals, demons, and societal fears that defined the age of the witch.

Wickwar, J W

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Witchcraft & Wicca

🏛 Obscure Press 📖 324 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781846641046

Fun Fact

Wickwar succeeds in weaving disparate historical threads into a coherent narrative of the witch’s craft. It excels in contextualizing folklore through psychological and historical lenses, making it invaluable for researchers. However, modern practitioners seeking practical magic will find it dry. It remains a foundational text for understanding the academic and historical perception of witchcraft in the early 20th century.

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🌙 Witchcraft & Wicca 🕯 Occultism

📝 Description: Witchcraft and the Black Art - A Book Dealing with the Psychology and Folklore of the Witches

The old craft of the witches was a close order. Its members were sworn to secrecy. Although some records were kept, very few of these still exist today. In early ecclesiastic and in mediaeval literature, however, references to witchcraft are numerous. This book endeavours to set out in an interesting manner the story of the craft from earliest times. The book's three hundred and twenty pages contain fourteen Comprehensive Chapters: Witchcraft: A Primitive Cult. Initiation and Ceremony. Spells, The Evil Eye, and Possession. Practical Witchcraft. Witchcraft on the Continent. Werewolves and Vampires. Blood and Fire in England. Demons and Mascots. Witch Hunting cameos. A Typical English Witch Trial. Witchcraft in America. Witchcraft Phantasmagoria. A Typical Witch Tract. The Last Phase. This book will prove a fascinating read for anyone interested in the occult arts, and will provide much information to historians of this hitherto arcane subject.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Wickwar delivers a compelling historical survey that successfully bridges folklore and psychological analysis. The fourteen chapters provide a comprehensive look at the secretive lineage of witches, tracing their evolution with clarity and depth. However, readers seeking practical spellcasting instructions or modern Wiccan liturgy will find this text lacking; it is strictly an academic and historical reconstruction rather than a practitioner's manual. Those expecting sensationalist ghost stories or modern pagan theology may be disappointed by its focus on societal fears and medieval trials. It is best suited for historians of religion and those interested in the psychological roots of superstition, rather than contemporary practitioners looking for active magical techniques or community guidance.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers fascinated by the intersection of history, psychology, and occult folklore will find this book an indispensable resource. Wickwar moves beyond sensationalist myths to offer a rigorous exploration of the psychological underpinnings that fueled the old craft. It is particularly valuable for those seeking to understand the evolution of witchcraft from primitive cults through medieval trials without getting lost in dry academic jargon. If you are intrigued by initiation rites, the mechanics of spells, and the pervasive cultural fear of the evil eye, this text provides a meticulous reconstruction of that lost world. It offers a rare, grounded glimpse into the rituals and demons that shaped societal fears across England, Europe, and America, making it essential for serious students of esoteric history.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

Scholars of religious history, occult practitioners seeking contextual roots, and readers fascinated by the intersection of folklore, psychology, and medieval persecution.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Wickwar delivers a compelling historical survey that successfully bridges folklore and psychological analysis. The fourteen chapters provide a comprehensive look at the secretive lineage of witches, tracing their evolution with clarity and depth. However, readers seeking practical spellcasting instructions or modern Wiccan liturgy will find this text lacking; it is strictly an academic and historical reconstruction rather than a practitioner's manual. Those expecting sensationalist ghost stories or modern pagan theology may be disappointed by its focus on societal fears and medieval trials. It is best suited for historians of religion and those interested in the psychological roots of superstition, rather than contemporary practitioners looking for active magical techniques or community guidance.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, it is a historical and psychological analysis of witchcraft, not a guide to performing rituals or casting spells.

While it includes significant coverage of English trials and blood rites, it also extensively covers witchcraft on the Continent and in America.

📖 Who should read this

Scholars of religious history, occult practitioners seeking contextual roots, and readers fascinated by the intersection of folklore, psychology, and medieval persecution.

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Psychological Foundations

Wickwar analyzes the mental states and folk beliefs driving witchcraft, treating the craft not just as superstition but as a complex psychological phenomenon rooted in human fear and desire for power.

Historical Trial Records

The book meticulously dissects actual witch trials and tracts from England and America, using primary ecclesiastic records to reconstruct the legal and social mechanisms used to persecute the accused.

Ritual and Symbolism

It explores the esoteric elements of the craft, including initiation ceremonies, blood rites, and the symbolism of fire and demons, providing context for the arcane practices described in historical accounts.

📜 Historical context

Emerging from a period when witchcraft was dismissed as mere superstition, Wickwar’s work sits within the early 20th-century scholarly attempt to systematize occult history. It bridges the gap between academic historiography and esoteric interest, drawing on scarce ecclesiastic records to validate the continuity of the 'old craft' despite the scarcity of primary texts.

📚 Glossary

Phantasmagoria
Ecclesiastic Records
Initiation Rites

📔 Questions to reflect on

How does the fear of the 'evil eye' reflect modern anxieties about unseen influence?
What psychological needs might have driven the formation of such secretive historical orders?
How do the rituals described in the text parallel modern esoteric practices of initiation?