This celebrated study of witchcraft in Europe traces the worship of the pre-Christian and prehistoric Horned God from paleolithic times to the medieval period. Murray, the first to turn a scholarly eye on the mysteries of witchcraft, enables us to see its existence in the Middle Ages not as an isolated and terrifying phenomenon, but as the survival of a religion nearly as old as humankind itself, whose devotees held passionately to a view of life threatened by an
alien creed. The findings she sets forth, once thought of as provocative and implausible, are now regarded as irrefutable by folklorists and scholars in related fields. Exploring the rites and
ceremonies associated with witchcraft, Murray establishes the concept of the "dying god"--the priest-king who was ritually killed to ensure the country and its people a continuity of fertility and strength. In this light, she considers such figures as Thomas a Becket, Joan of Arc, and Gilles de Rais as spiritual leaders whose deaths were ritually imposed. Truly a classic work of anthropology, and written in a clear, accessible style that anyone can enjoy, The God of the
Witches forces us to reevaluate our thoughts about an ancient and vital religion.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
"An important and fascinating book."--New Statesman and Nation
"A book of absorbing interest."--Psychic News
Reihe
Sprache
Verlagsort
Illustrationen
Maße
Höhe: 135 mm
Breite: 203 mm
Dicke: 12 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-19-501270-5 (9780195012705)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
The late Margaret Murray is the author of The Witch Cult in Western Europe, also available from Oxford.