Mirror Magic: A History of Magic in the Western World

Description

First published in 1948, this history of magic and the occult classic by renowned Surrealist Kurt Seligmann (1900-1962) draws from his encyclopedic practitioner’s knowledge and extensive antiquarian collection to offer a comprehensive, illustrated history of magic and the occult from Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt through the 18th century. He explores the gods and divinatory arts of the legendary Sumerians and the star-wise Babylonians, examines the afterlife beliefs of the ancient Egyptians and the dream interpretation practices and oracles of ancient Greece, and uncovers the origins of Gnosticism and the suppression and banishment of magic by the post-pagan, Christian emperors of Rome. Beautifully illustrated with images from the author’s rare library, this collector’s edition features all of the artwork–more than 250 images–from the original 1948 edition.