The Witch-Cult in Western Europe: A Study in Anthropology

by Margaret Alice Murray

Overview

The Witch-Cult in Western Europe: A Study in Anthropology by Margaret Alice Murray, first published in 1921, is a groundbreaking and controversial work that explores the historical and anthropological roots of witchcraft in Europe. In this book, Murray presents her theory that the witch trials of the early modern period were evidence of a widespread, underground pagan religion that persisted in Europe up until the Renaissance. Her interpretation of the trial evidence suggests that many accused witches were, in fact, practitioners of an ancient fertility cult.
Murray also explores related topics, such as the role of fairies in folklore, and the historical figures of Joan of Arc and Gilles de Rais, through the lens of this hidden pagan tradition. With extensive quotations from original documents in Elizabethan English, French, and German, as well as an appendix listing the names of hundreds of accused witches, this book remains an influential and important text in the study of Neopaganism, folklore, and the history of witchcraft.
Though controversial, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe has had a lasting impact on the fields of anthropology, history, and religious studies, making it essential reading for anyone interested in the history of witchcraft and paganism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798331473198
Publisher:	Barnes & Noble Press
Publication date:	09/10/2024
Pages:	360
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

Margaret Alice Murray (1863–1963) was a pioneering British Egyptologist, archaeologist, and anthropologist, best known for her controversial work on the history of witchcraft and paganism in Europe. A professor at University College London, Murray made significant contributions to the field of Egyptology, but gained wider recognition for her research into European folklore and witchcraft.
Her most famous work, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, proposed the theory that the witch trials of the early modern period were evidence of a surviving pagan fertility cult, a view that sparked both acclaim and criticism. Despite the controversy surrounding her witchcraft theories, Murray’s scholarship played a key role in shaping modern Neopagan and Wiccan movements. Throughout her long and distinguished career, she published numerous works on both Egyptology and the anthropology of religion, leaving a lasting legacy in the study of history, archaeology, and folklore.