A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics & Pagans

An authoritative and concise history of witchcraft from the ancient world up to the present day

Witchcraft has always been a fluid and intriguing belief system that has enchanted and sometimes terrified humanity. For over forty years, A History of Witchcraft has provided the authoritative history of witchery and the occult. Jeffrey Russell explores the definition of witchcraft in its many diverse forms, from the worship of the Greek goddess of magic, Hecate, through the medieval witch-crazes to the development of modern witchcraft in the early 20th century. Brooks Alexander analyses the development of neopaganism to the present day, charting the dissemination of witchcraft through modern media and the tensions that arise when a secretive cult becomes an open and recognized religion.

Whether or not one believes in the powers of witchcraft, one must believe in the existence of witches.

Contents List:

Introduction: What is a witch?
PART I: SORCERY AND HISTORICAL WITCHCRAFT
1 Sorcery
2 The roots of European witchcraft
3 Witchcraft, heresy, and inquisition
4 The witch-craze on the continent of Europe
5 Witchcraft in Britain and America
6 Witchcraft and society
7 The decline of witchcraft
PART II: MODERN WITCHCRAFT
8 Survivals and revivals
9 Neopagan witchcraft: the sources
10 Neopagan witchcraft: the movement
11 The role of witchcraft

About the Author:

Jeffrey B. Russell (1934–2023) was an American historian of medieval Europe and religious studies scholar. Brooks Alexander is author of Witchcraft Goes Mainstream and has written numerous articles on witchcraft, neo-paganism and other new religious movements.