Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic (None) [Paperback]

Bill Griffiths (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1996 | Series: None

Animal sacrifice, elf charms, amulets, divination, astronomy, astrology: an investigation into the practice, methods and ideas associated with Anglo-Saxon magic. The evidence presented is wide-ranging and authoritative. Inevitably some of the sources are familiar, but in association with archaeology, or other less frequently consulted texts, new perspectives are revealed. The book is accompanied by a large selection of the most relevant material, presented in the original and translated.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Icelandic, Latin (translation)
Original Language: Icelandic, Latin

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Anglo-Saxon Books (December 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1898281157
• ISBN-13: 978-1898281153
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,927,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat disappointing, July 1, 2008

By 

Christopher R. Travers "Einhverfr" (Chelan, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic (None) (Hardcover)

I read this book after Pollington's "Leechcraft" and was somewhat disappointed. I expected something more. I found a somewhat lackluster approach to Anglo-Saxon mythology, etc.

In particular, I felt that:

1: I felt that the analysis of the pagan religious context was overly simplistic and seemed to generally disregard a great deal that was known in the area of Germanic comparative mythology since well before the book was published. Leechcraft has some similar issues but far less severe. Griffiths seems to be sticking with ideas relating to nature vs ancestral deities which have been seen as overly simplistic since at least the middle of the 20th century.

2: The same sort of over-simplicity was found in the view of the afterlife in the chapter "The Dead World."

3: In places the author clings to the outdated and overly simplistic Frazer categories of sympathetic vs contagious magic rather than trying to reconstruct a fuller structural framework in which Anglo-Saxon magic would have fit.

I did feel that there was a fair bit of good information in the book about everyday life in the Anglo-Saxon world. However, I didn't feel that the book managed to accomplish what the author obviously set out to do.

In general, this book does contain a fair bit of interesting source material, but I found the analysis to be somewhat less useful. In general, I would recommend skipping this book and going with Leechcraft instead.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great book for the study of Anglo-Saxon magic, April 7, 2010

By 

Frank P. Coleman "Frank62281" (Birch Run, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic (None) (Hardcover)

This book contains a wealth of history and theory concerning ancient Anglo-Saxon magic. I recommend this book to anyone who seeks expand their horizons in their understanding the mindset and origin of magical and superstitious practices within the Northern tradition.

7 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anglo Saxon Press is Good, August 3, 2005

By 

Richard L. Windau (Troy, Missouri United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic (None) (Hardcover)

Requisite material For the Germanic Heathen or Saxonophile. When coupled with Pollingtons Meadhall it will form the core of your reference library. Easy to read and an excellent Bibliography.