DOC The Art of the Bible: Illuminated Manuscripts from the Medieval World by Scot McKendrick; Kathleen Doyle in History

Description

The curious history of magic and the powers of the occult; witchcraft; ritual; and the imagination; from their earliest appearances to modern timesFrom the days of the earliest Paleolithic cave rituals; magic has gripped the imagination. Magic and magicians appear in early Babylonian texts; the Bible; Judaism; and Islam. Secret words; spells; and incantations lie at the heart of nearly every mythological tradition. But for every genuine magus there is an impostor.During the Middle Ages; religion; science; and magic were difficult to set apart. The Middle Ages also saw the pursuit of alchemy―the magical transformation of base materials―which led to a fascination with the occult; Freemasonry; and Rosicrucianism.The turn of the twentieth century witnessed a return to earlier magical traditions; and today; magic means many things: contemporary Wicca is practiced widely as a modern pagan religion in Europe and the US; “magic” also stretches to include the nonspiritual; rapid-fire sleight of hand performed by slick stage magicians who fill vast arenas.The Occult; Witchcraft and Magic is packed with authoritative text and a huge and inspired selection of images; some chosen from unusual sources; including some of the best-known representations of magic and the occult from around the world spanning ancient to modern times. 400+ illustrations; 300+ in color