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Egyptian papyrus, Book of the Dead

Book of the Dead: A Magical Guide to the Egyptian Underworld

The Book of the Dead is not a book per se , but rather, a corpus of ancient Egyptian funerary texts from the New Kingdom . Each ‘book’ is unique, as it contains its own combination of spells. In...
Witch bottle found at a home in Watford, Northamptonshire             Source: BBC

An Anti-Evil Witch Bottle Found Hidden In Pub

There has been a remarkable if creepy discovery in Northamptonshire, in Britain. During construction work, a ‘witch bottle’ was discovered. This was once believed to protect people and places from...
Witches across the United States join together to put a spell on Donald Trump. Source: Asta / Adobe Stock.

Witches ‘Spell’ President Trump In Pre-Halloween Showdown

Thousands of self-declared ‘ witches ’ will cast a unified ‘ spell ’ on POTUS Donald Trump this weekend and “yes” this news piece is a work of non-fiction and not a joke. It would appear that in the...
A dancers curse has been revealed on a Byzantine tablet.                  Source: par /Adobe Stock

Mysterious 1500-year-old Tablet Deciphered as Dancer’s Curse

An academic has finally deciphered the mysterious writings on a lead tablet after 70 years. They were shown to be a curse aimed at a dancer. The curse-tablet dates from the Byzantine era and is...
In the medieval England magic was a service industry. Source: Вероника Преображенс / Adobe Stock.

In Medieval England, Magic Was A Service Industry

Tabitha Stanmore / The Conversation Chances are that when you hear the words “ medieval magic ”, the image of a witch will spring to mind: wizened old crones huddled over a cauldron containing...
Saul and the Witch of Endor

The Biblical Witch of Endor: Contacting the Spirit of a Prophet

The Witch of Endor is also known as the biblical Medium of Endor. According to legend, she was a medium who apparently summoned the Prophet Samuel's spirit. She is known from the Old Testament but...
Harry Potter books have been banned by a Catholic school library. Source: vlakhov Valeriy / Adobe Stock.

Catholic Teachers Banned ‘Evil’ Harry Potter Books

Harry Potter books were removed from a private Catholic school in Nashville in 2019 because they include actual “ curses and spells ”, according to staff at the school. In a report in the US daily,...
Viking House in Iceland        Source: @elvisliivamagi / Adobe Stock

With Portals to the Dead, Viking Homes Were Stranger Than Fiction

The Vikings are more popular than ever. TV shows such as Last Kingdom and Vikings have added dramatic license to particular historical accounts , while new archaeological finds are guaranteed to make...
Portrait of Emma Hamilton as Circe. This image was popular in illustrations for numerous books referring to Circe. (Public Domain) Circe’s cave is located at Mount Circeo, in Italy. Source: Association of Speleo-Archeological Research, Rome Sotterranea

Seductress’ Cave of Depravity from Homer’s Odyssey Found?

Italy's Mount Circeo or Cape Circeo is located about 60 miles (97 km) south of Rome and this promontory marks the southwestern limit of the former Pontine Marshes. This famous geological feature is...
The nature of the objects could indicate that they were used in Roman sorcery.

Evidence Suggests an Underground of Roman Sorcery in Pompeii

Experts have found a treasure trove of unusual objects concealed in Pompeii and it is theorized that the objects belonged to a Roman sorcerer who used them in the casting of spells . Pompeii is one...
Was King Solomon really the author of the Key of Solomon?

Grimoires by a Biblical King? The Magical Treatise of Solomon and the Key of Solomon

The ‘Magical Treatise of Solomon’ and the ‘ Key of Solomon’ are two grimoires (magic handbooks) commonly said to have been written by the biblical King Solomon . The latter grimoire has been...
There are many tales about the Tengu. Source: shihina / Adobe Stock.

Magic and Mayhem of Japanese Legend: Don’t Try To Out-Trick A Tengu!

The Tengu were not only protectors of the mountains and the Buddhist faith, they were also known to be mischievous tricksters who, much like their Kitsune cousins, were capable of using magic such as...
Coprnice of Croatian myth. Source: captblack76 / Adobe Stock.

Cursing of Coprnice: The Good and Evil of Croatian Folklore

There have been many legends that survived through Croatian history. Some were spread worldwide, and some remain unknown. One of these lesser known legends is the myth of Coprnice. To simplify,...
The practice of Onmyōdō. Source: Epiximages / Adobe Stock.

The Oriental Magical Practice of Onmyōdō and Its Checkered History

The practice of Onmyōdō has a contentious history in Japan and, for reasons that will become clear, was outlawed for some time along with its close cousin, Shugendō (修験道). Onmyōdō, means literally, ‘...
In Asia the dragon is also an ambivalent symbol representing the Yin and Yang. (Dvarg / Adobe)

A Tale of Taming Dragons, Chinese Symbol of Divine Power and Defeater of Evil

The dragon is a Chinese symbol of excellence and the Chinese consider themselves to be “The Descendants of the Dragon.” In the distant past, in China, the dragon was the symbol of the emperor, while...
Angel and a page from the book of Raziel

Practical Magic: The Secret Teachings of the Book of Raziel the Angel

Within the varied teachings of the Jewish mystical tradition known as Kabbalah there is a minor tradition known as Practical Kabbalah (Kabbalah Ma’asit). This branch concerns itself with the use of...
Vintage magic book. Abracadabra used to be written and used as a talisman.

Say the Magic Word: The Origins of Abracadabra

Magic words are often used by magicians whilst performing magic tricks on stage. One of the most common of these incantations is ‘Abracadabra’. Although this word is known to many, it is likely that...
Dark demonb (Luis Louro / Adobe Stock)

Ancient Curses: Five Ways to Create Calamity in the Ancient World

Ever since the days when magic first arose, people have been looking to manipulate the world with supernatural means and divine intervention – often for positive ends, but also to punish or send...
Snow White a Disney story based on real historical events.

The Truth Behind 5 Disney Movies That Are Based On Real Histories

Many of us grew up watching Disney movies and their tales of fairy princesses and evil queens are undeniably a part of the modern zeitgeist . Some of the movies are original to Disney, but at their...
A dark wizard (venerala / Adobe Stock)

Involuntary Initiation: Tales of Demonic Powers of Sorcery Transmitted to the Unsuspecting

It is said that in certain cases and under certain circumstances an individual can obtain special powers at the mere contact with a sorcerer without any kind of previous initiation. Such ancient...
Icelandic books of magic, occult books.

Icelandic Sorcerers and the Books of Black Magic They Coveted

The once highly rich tradition of Icelandic books of magic of the 16th and the 17th centuries has survived only in a fragmentary state. Despite this fact, Icelandic folktales speak about the...
Tibet Death Ritual is practiced by experienced lamas  not novice monks.

The Beauty of Death, Dying and Rebirth in Tibetan Buddhist Rituals

In Tibet they have a lot of interesting beliefs and rituals regarding death and the world beyond. There is even a ritual exclamation which a lama who officiates makes near the body of the deceased in...
The Visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon by Edward Poynter (1890

Seal of Solomon Controlling the Demonic Armies

Did King Solomon possess a magical ring – given to him directly from heaven – with which he could control Astaroth, Prince of Hell? The Seal of Solomon (or Ring of Solomon) is known as the Star of...
The Black Book is said to hold all the magical practices in opposition to the divine.

The Black Book - Source of Devils Magic that Wizards Wager Their Soul to Obtain

The Black Book is said to hold within its pages all the magical practices which are in opposition to the divine. The idea regarding the existence of such a book is very old and it appears briefly in...

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