Researching witches and wiccan

Tubby Walters

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Jul 2, 2020
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Is there a recommended starting point?

Want to do research for a novel idea I have.

Is there a good source that explains mythology like a version of a Bible for witchcraft? Any historical books recommended? I would suggest movies as well but witches are usually corny and kid friendly outside of Blair witch part 1 and Lords of Salem. I guess the craft is ok. But Something more 1500s-1600s, American setting or otherwise. Preferably western witch mythology but open to eastern and tribal interpretations as well. I also don't want to be too influenced by fictional material so maybe nevermind.

Essentially any narrative that has the rules etc, traditions, info about familiars, all that stuff.

We need a good heroes vs witch fantasy.
 

Cintra

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Jan 11, 2020
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malleus maleficarium

The Pendle witches. The actual story, not the novelisations (though they are fun).
Read the original recounting.

Both these give an idea of how witchcraft was perceived in britain and europe around 1600, and what to do about it.
 

polymoog

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Jun 17, 2017
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i have the three volume set (mine has an older cover from an earlier reprint). its got some interesting things in it, and there are a variety of topics which should spark your imagination for a book. most importantly, its from 1903. with the pursuit of a topic such as yours, always go for the oldest material. most likely, its more accurate and less tainted.


 

Gnome

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Jul 26, 2020
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This is where the myth of witchcraft really developed, everything after was growing off the myth of witches, alongside certain controversies caused by degenerate Christians.

Wicca is a mid-20th century movement, it is syncretic and best understood as a form of western shamanism. It's not an actual tradition as it barely goes back more than 100 years.
Even stuff like Druidism (which is not witchcraft but was an old ancient pagan tradition which aesthetically influenced bits of Wicca) is merely reconstructionism and not actual passed down tradition.
 

DevaWolf

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Apr 13, 2019
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I feel honored to be mentioned.

I have several book recommendations for you:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aradia,_or_the_Gospel_of_the_Witches Aradia, the gospel of the Witches is a good starting point to know more about modern Wiccan mythology.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft_Today the original standard book of the modern Witchcraft movement

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawing_Down_the_Moon_(book) another well known guide with the inns and outs of moder day witchcraft.

As for medieval ideas about witchcraft:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malleus_Maleficarum the Hammer of the witches, the 'bible' on witch hunting by the Inqisition, gives a good idea of what witchcraft was seen as during those times.

Otherwise, not many medieval manuscripts on witchcraft are available and reliable. Most modern works focuses on the past two centuries, and somewhat fictional accounting of the past. You could look into the history of alchemy and herbology to find more about traditional witchcraft, which was not quite what it is today.
 

Cintra

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Jan 11, 2020
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This is where the myth of witchcraft really developed, everything after was growing off the myth of witches, alongside certain controversies caused by degenerate Christians.

Wicca is a mid-20th century movement, it is syncretic and best understood as a form of western shamanism. It's not an actual tradition as it barely goes back more than 100 years.
Even stuff like Druidism (which is not witchcraft but was an old ancient pagan tradition which aesthetically influenced bits of Wicca) is merely reconstructionism and not actual passed down tradition.
Gerald Gardner and the New Forest coven, if you want more on the founding of modern wicca.

Margaret Murray, the witch cult in western europe

Very interesting but had to find much about is the trad witches, like the toad bone people and the horse whisperers.

Matthew Hopkins...

Stregheria...
 

Mohammed_123

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Jun 4, 2021
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897
There are links to WICCA from ISLAM.

The TRIPLE Goddess

Surah NAJM

 
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